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Cigarette butts are hazardous to living organisms due to the presence of heavy metal ions that can cause damage to DNA and cells. Chitosan, a natural polymer derived from chitin, has excellent adsorption properties and is a potential solution to this problem. The study aims to develop a chitosan filter and evaluate its ability to remove harmful heavy metals from cigarette butts and investigate the toxicity of chemicals extracted from cigarette butts on human cultured cells. To conduct this study, we quantified the amount of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb) in samples of CBEs (cigarette butt extracts). The cytotoxicities of CBE with various concentrations were tested on the human skin cell Detroit 551. Cytotoxicity was also measured with CBE using the chitosan-coated filter. It was made by immersing the Whatman paper filter into a synthesized chitosan solution and drying it. It was then compared with the toxicity of other samples without the filter. Using the chitosan-coated filter, concentrations from the cigarette butt extract decreased in particular heavy metals: Cu (92.1%), Zn (98.2%), and Pb (94.4%). Testing the cytotoxicity of CBEs, the results show a significant decrease in the live cell number starting from 5% CBE. The last experiment showed that 5% CBE with chitosan-coated filter paper, resulting in 1.21 x 106 cells/mL, was more effective in preventing cell deaths compared to non-filtered 5% CBE (0.32 x 106 cells/mL) and filtered 5% CBE (0.21 x 106 cells/mL). These results are significant as it shows how the chitosan-coated filter is a working method to isolate the heavy metals inside cigarette butt extracts and how it can have a positive impact on the environment with future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managing waste tires presents a significant challenge globally, particularly in regions experiencing high temperatures and shortage of landfill sites. This issue is affecting countries like Kuwait, where the abundance of waste tires is a major source of environmental and safety risks, particularly during the intensely hot summer months. This extreme heat has sparked numerous fires, leading to substantial air pollution due to thick black smoke. Given the limited disposal options, recycling waste tires and finding practical applications for ground tire rubber (GTR) is essential. To address the challenge, a comprehensive laboratory testing program was conducted, using locally produced rubber aggregates as an additive to Kuwait's local surface sands. Two new variables were examined namely the size and gradation of the GTR, and the density of the compacted mixes. For this purpose, two different sizes of rubber aggregates, fine and coarse produced locally, were utilized, and the impact of relative compaction on the strength and compressibility of the mixtures was investigated by testing samples compacted to the maximum density and to 95% of the maximum density. The results suggest that combining local surface sands with rubber tire additives results in a lighter, more permeable, and compressible material, contributing significantly to sustainable waste management. With 20% rubber additive the maximum dry density decreased by nearly 20%, and the permeability increased by 1.74–3.11 times and the compression index increased by 6.15 and 3.8 times with fine and coarse rubber respectively. The angle of friction remained unchanged at 36° with the addition of coarse rubber and decreased by 3°–4° with fine rubber. The change in behavior although not an increase in the strength and stiffness, offers a range of suitable practical applications in civil engineering and environmental management, including use as a drainage layer, embankment construction on soft ground, earth fill around retaining walls, an additive in asphalt mixes, and in manufacturing compressible tiles for sports facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main challenges in ethanol production within alcohol industries is the management of vinasse, a voluminous and highly toxic waste. This demands the search for alternatives for its reprocessing and disposal since its release into the environment results in soil and water pollution, leading to an unhealthy environment, ecological imbalances, and harm to wildlife. Given the relevance of this issue, the main objective of this study was to research patents in leading databases focused on vinasse treatment. The results were then correlated with an analysis of publications on vinasse application in new products and processes from January 1990 to December 2021. Additionally, we conducted a research profile analysis using three software tools (VOSViewer, CiteSpace, and CitNetExplorer) to extract citation networks, identify the main research groups, and comprehend the evolution of vinasse-related research over time. The results showed that most frequent applications are: i) biofuel production; ii) treatment; iii) recovery of organic compounds; iv) enzymatic hydrolysis; v) bioremediation; vi) fertilizer. With this, articles were searched for the investigation of innovations in the sugar-cane ethanol production chain. Most articles focus on the treatment of vinasse using microorganisms, in addition to the reuse of this effluent as a fertilizer. Thus, this study contributes to the presentation of the main works in the field and the literature regarding the use of vinasse and pointing out the current challenges to be overcome.

As the world’s population increases, the growing demand for food intensifies the generation of agricultural waste, leading to several environmental issues. Intensive research indicates black soldier fly (BSF) larvae Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus, 1758) as efficient converters of organic waste into nutrient-rich biomass suitable for animal feed. Using a structured questionnaire and volunteer farmers (N = 595), we investigated the potential for adoption of BSF larvae composting technology for sustainable agricultural waste management in Greater Ahafo-Ano. Almost all surveyed farmers declared they generated a significant amount of biowaste on their farms and were willing to learn how to use the BSF-based technology to transform it into value-added products. The waste generated was mainly disposed of in pits at Ahafo-Ano South-East (56.2%), by composting at Ahafo-Ano South-West (34.9%) and by sale at Ahafo-Ano North (34.4%). Across the three districts, awareness of the BSF was very low – 14.5% in Ahafo-Ano South-East, 14.1% in Ahafo-Ano South-West and 0.5% in Ahafo-Ano North. However, high acceptance of the technology was recorded. It was found that about 8% of farmers surveyed in Ahafo-Ano South-East had already tried BSF farming on a small scale. Indicating this district as a good entry point to introduce the technology into Greater Ahafo-Ano.

Sanitation is becoming more crucial as urban populations rise, making waste management a crucial issue in smart cities. Accurate waste material identification and classification are necessary because the waste items vary as they deteriorate. Furthermore, traditional methods do not overcome the risk of contamination when non-recyclable or hazardous products are improperly disposed of with ordinary waste, and there is an issue of identifying the waste that deteriorates over time. Hence a novel method ''Simplified White Shark with Multivariate Deep Belief Network'' is proposed, it improves system effectiveness and efficiency by identifying waste things that deteriorate with time using an object detection algorithm called Simplified White Shark Object. In addition, a Nearest Centroid Deep Belief Network classification technique for precise waste classification in smart cities is also proposed. The suggested algorithm considerably boosts waste management performance by increasing classification accuracy, efficiency and sensitivity which reaches a maximum of 99.78 %, 99.34 %, 97.69 %, and the minimum error rate of 0.182.

This systematic literature review employs the PICOC framework to structure research questions and the PRISMA method for comprehensive and transparent analysis. The study identifies key strategies to manage multilayer plastics effectively, including advanced chemical recycling technologies and policy interventions. A European case study highlights the development and application of innovative recycling techniques like solvent-targeted recovery, emphasizing the need for substantial investment and policy support. The review underscores the global disparity in recycling infrastructure, particularly between developed and developing countries, and advocates for tailored, context-specific solutions to advance circular economy principles in multilayer plastic waste management.

Sustainability has become a pressing global challenge, necessitating the creation of a sustainable economy. Government efforts have shown limitations in tackling this issue, instead relying on firms to integrate environmentally sustainable practices into their strategies, often at the request of their stakeholders. However, this process may be difficult to understand and costly for small- to medium-sized enterprises due to limited resources. To address this concern, this paper highlights the benefits of life cycle assessment (LCA) for firms facing uncertainty about how to do environmental analysis. It then suggests how considering the role of different stakeholders can help a firm navigate the trade-offs between short-term costs and longterm benefits. By aligning with stakeholder expectations, businesses can demonstrate their commitment to sustainable practices, ensuring continued support and strategic decision-making. By acknowledging the limitations of LCA and exploring potential alternatives, the paper aims to provide valuable insights for businesses, aiding decision-making and informing the importance of LCA within their constraints. By incorporating recent non-academic articles and focusing on prioritizing stakeholders through LCA, this paper provides a foundation for firms to embrace sustainable practices and maximize their impact on the journey toward a more sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to rapid urbanization and uncontrolled population growth, solid waste management has become a rising issue in developing nations like Bangladesh. Khulna ranks third among Bangladesh's metropolitan cities. The existing system of Khulna City for transporting municipal solid waste lacks route planning and depends exclusively on the driver's expertise. Hence, this study aims to minimize the length of the present travel paths and assess the advantages of using optimized routes. Secondary datasets like a list of vehicles, financial information, and a list of secondary transfer stations have been collected from the municipality. A field survey was conducted to capture the coordinates of secondary transfer stations. Multiple GPS devices have been installed for monitoring the current paths, stops, and travel time of 31 waste collector vehicles for 10 months. A network database has been prepared and modified by integrating driver's perceptions and field inspection. Network analysis of ArcGIS Pro has been used for finding the optimized routes. The optimized route minimizes the travel distance by 9.40%. By following the optimized routes, about 11.6% of fuel costs can be reduced. This research has the potential to make a significant contribution to the waste management of Khulna City and beyond.

The pursuit of sustainable and eco-friendly materials has fuelled research into enhancing composite materials using bio fillers derived from renewable sources. This study investigates the incorporation of bio filler - biochar produced from cashew nut shell, in hemp fibre composite to achieve a balance between performance and environmental sustainability. Hemp fibre composites were fabricated with four different weight percentages of biochar such as 5, 10, 15, and 20 wt%. Hemp fibre composites with biochar showed enhanced mechanical strength and water resistance when compared to composite without biochar. The composites containing 10 wt% biochar added showed the maximum tensile, impact, and hardness, ca. 94%, ca. 38%, and ca. 7% increase compared to composite without biochar, respectively. The highest flexural strength (ca. 71 MPa) was observed at a biochar addition of 15 wt%. The integration of biochar improved the filler-matrix interaction by enhancing adhesion, creating effective stress transfer within the vinyl ester matrix, thereby reinforcing the composite's structural integrity. In the water absorption test, the biochar acted as barrier to the water molecules and reduced the water absorption by ca. 32–63%. These findings highlight the potential of biochar-based fillers in advancing the field of composite materials, providing a more nuanced understanding of their applications in addressing both environmental concerns and bio waste accumulation.

It is difficult to reuse wastes from polymers due to the mismatch between the amount of contaminants and the secondary polymers and the quality of the feed. This type of operation is much more expensive and cost-effective than the production of polymer raw materials from the latest materials. However, the reuse of recyclable polymers is beneficial if used extensively in the production of various concrete products and wood-polymer boards. This is done only if cleaning and sorting are not particularly important for the production of polymer products. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a widely used polymer in various industries due to its excellent physical and chemical properties. Besides, the increasing use of PET products has led to a global crisis in waste management, as improper disposal of products has caused significant environmental damage. PET is a major source of accumulated waste in landfills, and to address this issue, recycling methods have evolved. In this regard, the present review examines various techniques involved in the recycling of PET. Conventional recycling methods and the influence of diverse depolymerization reaction variables were discussed, and the upsides and downsides of each technique were considered. The review summarizes major advances in recycling technologies for plastic waste, focusing on the bio-recycling of PET, aiming for sustainable, economical solutions in the circular economy.

Microplastics are an emerging environmental concern that threatens the lives of humans and other organisms. Landfills are reservoirs for the production and accumulation of microplastics because the plastic waste disposed in them turns into microplastics over time under the influence of environmental and chemical conditions. This study is the first report on the abundance and characteristics of microplastics based on size, shape, color, and chemical composition in different old and active zones of the Hamadan landfill. The results clearly showed that the abundance of microplastics is significantly higher in leachate lagoon zone and old waste sites than active and virgin sites. Accordingly, the abundance of microplastics in the leachate lagoon zone, the old municipal and medical waste site, and the active municipal and medical waste site were found to be 76513, 39813, 26900, 16940, and 18766 items/kg dry soil, respectively. The abundance of microplastics in sizes 0.45 μm–25 μm and 25 μm to 5 mm was 59.32% and 40.68%, respectively. In addition, black microplastics were identified as the most abundant color (49%). In terms of shape classification, fiber microplastics were the most abundant (71%). Also, the most abundant chemical composition among microplastics belonged to LDPE (35%) and HDPE (33%) polymers. The findings of this study showed that the abundance and characteristics of microplastics in different landfill zones are quite diverse, which will have an important impact on proper waste management and prevention of environmental pollution.

The utilization of post-consumer waste (PCW) in the textile industry has gained significant attention as a sustainable approach towards reducing waste and conserving resources. This research paper investigates the feasibility of incorporating PCW fibers into blended yarns for the production of denim fabrics. The study aims to evaluate the performance of the resulting fabrics in terms of various physical properties. The research findings reveal that while the introduction of PCW in the blend may affect certain fabric properties such as mass variation and tensile strength, it offers a sustainable solution for achieving circularity in denim manufacturing. The tensile strength value for 70/30C/PCW fabric were found 341.8 N and 288.4 N in warp and weft direction, respectively. On the other hand, the tear strength value were 27.89 N and 19.67 N in warp and weft direction, respectively. The analysis highlights the importance of blend ratios and specific end-use requirements in determining the suitability of PCW in denim production. The study contributes to the existing knowledge on sustainable textile manufacturing and emphasizes the need for responsible waste management in the industry. The outcomes of this research provide valuable insights for manufacturers, buyers, and consumers interested in incorporating PCW fibers into denim production. By embracing such practices, the textile industry can actively contribute to environmental conservation and foster a more sustainable future.

The growth, reproduction, and metabolic activities of microorganisms can lead to blockages within porous media, a phenomenon commonly observed in landfill engineering. Termed as microbial plugging, this phenomenon is significantly influenced by the inherent permeability characteristics of the system. In this study, we propose a simulation model based on the Monod equation to elucidate the clogging process caused by microorganisms in one-dimensional pore channels. Our primary focus is on the application of this model in landfill bioreactor systems. We demonstrate that microbial clogging in these systems is predominantly affected by factors such as the maximum environmental carrying capacity and pore size. These factors are directly influenced by the presence of solid waste within the landfill. By offering a theoretical foundation for mitigating microbial clogging in pore channels of landfill bioreactor systems, this research has the potential to contribute to the development of more efficient and effective waste management practices. Implications: Microbial plugging is a hot research topic in the field of environmental geotechnical engineering. Previous papers often only considered the reduction of pore volumes, while neglecting the role of clogging and the uneven distribution of permeability. In this paper, we established a permeability model for porous media that considers microbial growth and plugging. This model can reflect the temporal variation of permeability with microbial growth and predict the spatial distribution of permeability. This paper can promote on the utilization of microbial plugging technology in landfills or solid waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drinking water treatment generates a high amount of pasty by-product known as drinking water treatment sludge (DWTS). The chemical composition, microstructure and rheological behavior of DWTS are of utmost importance in the calculation, design, optimization, commissioning and control of its treatment processes. The purpose of this research was to characterize the DWTS from the drinking water treatment plant of Marrakech (Morocco), aiming to help future researchers and engineers in predicting its hydrodynamic behavior. The first part of this study was devoted to the physical structure and the chemical composition of sludge. The second part was oriented towards the study of the mechanical properties; a penetration test and a rotational rheology test were performed. For the first test, a force–length penetration diagram was plotted in order to calculate the hardness, the cohesiveness and the adhesiveness of DWTS. For the second test, the shear stress and the apparent viscosity were plotted and fitted to five rheological models, as function of the shear rate, aiming to describe the rheological behavior of samples. The obtained results reveal that the drinking water treatment sludge from Marrakech is a porous, amorphous and highly adhesive material, with a shear-thinning (pseudoplastic) rheological behavior that can be described according to the Herschel–Bulkley model (better in low-rate stresses, R² = 0.98) or the Windhad model (better in high shear rates, R² = 0.96) and is mainly composed of silica, aluminum and iron oxides.

In the management system of large companies, environmental protection is increasingly becoming one of the more important subsystems in terms of the generation of industrial waste. In order to manage the impact a factory's production process on the environment as efficiently as possible, it is necessary to control certain quality parameters of emissions into the environment, and activities to minimize the impact of emissions and pollution, from the moment the raw materials arrive until the product leaves the warehouse as a finished product. By analyzing the technological process, the method of waste management is defined, i.e. the types, composition and quantities of waste generated in the textile plants are determined. By constantly analyzing the existing waste management system, the currently implemented measures and possible shortcomings and omissions are constantly reviewed, on the basis of which measures to improve waste management are proposed. The paper describes the impact of waste management in the textile industry on the environment, i.e. examples of the management flow of industrially generated hazardous and non-hazardous waste - characterization of industrial waste, disposal methods and proposals for their reduction.

Construction projects can have adverse possible environmental consequences. The construction sector contributes to around 25% of air pollution, 40% of water pollution, and 50% of landfill wastes. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) focus on sustainable development, where the construction industry can assist in achieving many of these goals. This research presents a framework for assessing the sustainability of construction projects. The research identifies the factors that are linked to sustainability in construction. To determines the relative weights of these factors, multicriteria decision-making techniques, namely, Shannon entropy and the CRiteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC) methods, were used. To assess the sustainability of construction projects Hierarchical evidential reasoning was used to aggregate the different factors found in different projects based on weights and magnitude of each factor. To examine the plausibility of the proposed framework, three case studies for new development projects were used. The results from the proposed framework were verified using face verification. The results showed that the difference in relative weights of the different indicators were statistically insignificant indicating that the accuracy of the calculated weights. Additionally, the experts sought to verify the applicability of the framework indicated that it can be widely used in different projects to assess how sustainable they are. The proposed framework can be used in various construction projects by stakeholders, such as contractors and developers, to assess the sustainability of new construction projects and capitalize on their corporate social responsibility, ultimately enhancing the construction industry quality and standards.

In this study, the effects of the water–cement (W–C) ratio and plastic aggregates (PAs) recycled from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic waste on the compressive mechanical and durability properties of concrete are presented. Coarse flake-shaped PET and fine pellet-shaped HDPE aggregates were used as substitutes for natural gravel and river sand with 0–10% and 0–34% volumetric replacements, respectively, in concrete with two different W–C ratios (0.62 and 0.47). Fresh and hardened concrete were evaluated in terms of workability, elastic modulus, Poisson’s ratio, compressive strength, drying shrinkage, and resistance to chloride ion penetration. Micro-computed tomography showed that the incorporation of PAs in concrete modified the pore structure by increasing the porosity and volume percentage of large pores. The effect of PAs on the reductions in slump, mechanical properties, drying shrinkage, and chloride ion penetration increased with the increase in content, size, and flaky shape of PAs. For 0.62 W–C ratio concrete, 10% HDPE content lowered the compressive strength, drying shrinkage, and chloride ion penetration by 5.0%, 6.2%, and 12.1%, respectively, compared with those of the control specimen. Meanwhile, for the same amount of PAs (kg m-3 of concrete), PET aggregates increased the percentage reductions to 21.0%, 12.1%, and 17.3%, respectively. For concrete with single and combined types of PAs, the ratios of compressive strength, elastic modulus, and drying shrinkage of PAs to those of control concretes linearly decreased with an increase in the content of each type (in terms of size and shape) of PA. In addition, substitutions of natural aggregates by PAs decreased significantly the stress–strength ratio at the transition between the elastic and inelastic ranges, particularly for concrete with a low W–C ratio and high content of coarse PAs. For 0.47 W–C ratio concrete, the critical stress–strength ratio (0.83−0.89) in the control specimens decreased significantly to 0.57 and 0.75 for 5% PET and 34% HDPE contents, respectively.

Objectives This paper summarizes effective waste management and disposal methods for plastic and medical wastes during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We reviewed the literatures reporting and identifying the current status and characteristics of wastes related to COVID-19, and the management and treatment guidelines for those wastes. We also investigated various technologies for waste treatment and disposal, and assessed the current status and future direction of the technologies in Korea. Results and Discussion In the first half of 2020 in Korea, the amount of plastic waste produced had increased by 15.6% year-on-year, and medical waste production also increased significantly from 0.6 ton in January 2020 to 2,928 ton in August 2021. All of the infectious wastes are currently being incinerated in Korea, but there are concerns on air pollutant emissions and insufficient treatment facilities. Municipal solid waste also suffers from a lack of landfill capacity and low price competitiveness in the recycling industry. Conclusions Policy and system need to be improved to reduce the infectious waste generation from the sources, and treatment and disposal technologies for produced wastes also need to be developed. Furthermore, hospitals and health care facilities should establish their own waste reducing systems which may include chemical treatment and sterilization units.

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected human lifestyle in numerous ways and one such key affected social element is the management of household plastic waste. Due to its effective barrier properties against the COVID-19 virus, usage and consumption of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other single-use plastic (SUP) products have increased exponentially to meet the accelerated demand. Therefore, this paper analyses the changes in community behavioural patterns of household plastic waste management with the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic situation in Sri Lanka. The comparative analysis of majorly consumed plastic waste types, plastic disposal methods, and perceptions of existing policies before and after the pandemic are broadly discussed. A comprehensive questionnaire was conducted in a stratified randomly sampled community and analysed using SPSS. Disposable face masks (39.9%) and hand sanitiser products (33.0%) were popular plastic products during the pandemic. The frequency of handing over the waste to collectors and recycling centres decreased slightly, from 32.1% to 31.4% and 24.2%–19.8%, respectively. Conversely, respondents’ preference for burning plastic waste increased from 23.4% to 27.0% after the pandemic. The plastic disposal methods from before and after the pandemic are significantly associated with income level (p = 0.00) and employment status (p = 0.00). No significant association was observed between the disposal method before the pandemic and the education level of respondents (p = 0.185). However, a significant association was evident between the disposal method after the pandemic and the education level of respondents (p = 0.025).

The effect of sand filter media thickness on the performance of faecal sludge (FS) drying beds was determined in terms of: dewatering time, contaminant load removal efficiency, solids generation rate, nutrient content and helminth eggs viability in the dried sludge. A mixture of ventilated improved pit latrine sludge and septage in the ratio 1:2 was dewatered using three pilot-scale sludge drying beds with sand media thicknesses of 150, 250 and 350 mm. Five dewatering cycles were conducted and monitored for each drying bed. Although the 150 mm filter had the shortest average dewatering time of 3.65 days followed by 250 mm and 350 mm filters with 3.83 and 4.02 days, respectively, there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) attributable to filter media thickness configurations. However, there was a significant difference for the percolate contaminant loads in the removal and recovery efficiency of suspended solids, total solids, total volatile solids, nitrogen species, total phosphorus, chemical oxygen demand, dissolved chemical oxygen demand and biochemical oxygen demand, with the highest removal efficiency for each parameter achieved by the 350 mm filter. There were also significant differences in the nutrient content (NPK) and helminth eggs viability of the solids generated by the tested filters. Filtering media configurations similar to 350 mm have the greatest potential for optimising nutrient recovery from FS.

The use of hazardous metals like lead, cadmium in solar photovoltaics (PVs) are rapidly increasing which poses the risk to the environment due to potential release of these constituents. The main purpose of this review is to highlight the updated information on solar PV waste along with the present condition of efforts for recovery, country-wise regulatory approach or strategy on solar PV management and recycling. A brief literature review is assessed based on recently published articles and reports, which provides the readers a general overview on the solar PV waste management and regulations made by world leader countries in solar panels. This study discussed on the risk of hazardous chemical species releasing from PV modules and criteria of PV panel waste classification. Furthermore, the estimation of solar waste PV, its categorization, management approaches, country guidelines and recycling of waste PV panels, were mainly focused in this study. Apart from this, the major leaching tests carried out for waste classification and PV waste recycling in different countries are also discussed. Solar PV waste generally categorized as a general waste by the regulatory aspect, except in the EU, since PV panels in these countries are described as e-waste as stated in the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive. To reinforce the recycling option, currently only Europe has mandated a strong regulatory guideline, however, other nations are preparing to set up particular system for solar panel waste management. In particular, this paper focuses on the potential risk caused by solar panels, data collection for PV waste and management approach like recycling. Besides, this review believes the basics of PV panel installation, management and recycling process which could recommend upcoming guidance for the public policymakers.

The purpose of the present study is to identify the effective factors in citizen participation in waste generation and waste separation and their scientific analysis. In order to accomplish this goal, using descriptive-inferential research method, information was collected by documentary method. The statistical population of the study consisted of the citizens of two districts of Tehran 8 and 12, which had the highest and the lowest participation in separation of waste source, respectively. Data were analyzed using relative frequency tables, Likert verbal scale, Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test and correlation test and regression method. The results of hypotheses test indicated significant relationship between variables of age, level of education, occupations, average monthly income, number of households, citizen education and awareness, and participation rates. Also the results of Kruskal-Wallis statistical test showed that there is a significant relationship between gender and participation, but the relationship between housing ownership and participation is not significant.

One of the major problems of assemblies is the increasing production of waste and how to manage the waste system. One of the best ways to manage waste is to convert waste into energy. In this way, waste can be converted hygienically and away from pollution into materials used. By producing energy from waste, another problem is human beings who need energy. This study was devoted to comprehensively investigating the exergetic performance of a municipal solid waste dryer. The main aim of the current research was to reveal the reasons and sources of thermodynamic losses occurring in the plant-based on simulation data and compare the performances of several thermodynamical models. The critical design data for the analysis were collected from the Tehran municipality Tehran, Iran. After writing energy and exergy balances for all unit components, their exergetic performance parameters were measured individually. An attempt was also undertaken to quantify the contributions of the products to the overall exergetic efficiency of the plant. The most important results show that the best model for drying MSW is the logarithmic model with a corresponding R2 of 0.98. Also, the drying rate was 0.003 kg/m3s, and the dryer’s energy and exergy efficiency were 13.94% and 2.96%, respectively. The humidity of the hot inlet air has the most significant impact on the energy and exergy efficiencies of the MSW dryer. Generally, the exergetic analysis presented herein could provide important guidelines and methodological blueprints for future investigations to develop thermodynamically efficient and environmentally-benign waste-to-energy plants.

Food waste contains complex nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins which could be broken down into simpler substrates such as sugars (e.g., glucose), lipids and proteins (e.g., free amino nitrogen). These components can be used for conversion into useful bio-based products such as chemicals, materials and fuels. This research aimed at the development of bio-based polyurethane (PU) materials using food waste-derived lipids. Since the quality of lipid plays an important role in polyol synthesis, optimal extraction procedures were developed to select the most appropriate method for polyol synthesis. From obtained lipids, two polyol synthesis methods were used, lipid transamidation with diethanolamine (DEOA or DEA) and lipid epoxidation and subsequent epoxy ring opening with trimethylolpropane. Bio-polyol obtained in transamidation reaction was used to obtain rigid PU foams with three different isocyanate indices of 130; 150 and 200 while bio-polyol form epoxy ring opening was used to obtain rigid PU foams with an isocyanate index of 150. The initial formulations were suitable to produce good quality rigid PU foam samples at a laboratory scale. The resultant rigid PU foams are promising for further studies and development of thermal insulation materials.

The massive consumption of a wide range plastic products has generated a huge amount of plastic waste. There is a need to provide awareness of their uses and routine management as a part of our lifestyle. Nowadays, plastics are increasingly being used in our daily life activities, including the packaging in different food and brewing companies, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and other production sectors need to pack their end products for efficient and safer product's delivery to the community. Plastics are produced through the biochemical process of polymerization or polycondensation. The post-use of generated plastic waste has many adverse impacts on the environment if not processed and managed in a proper way. This review aims to discuss the lifecycle of plastic products according to their different categories, including polyvinyl chloride (PVC–U), polystyrene or styrofoam (PS), polypropylene (PP), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PETE), and others. Herein, we have also discussed the problems caused by the inadequate processing of plastic waste and the possible solutions that can be provided to ensure a good atmosphere and to reduce the causes of climate changes, which is challenging to life on this planet.

The article proves a problem of information processing in the field of the structuring of information and decision-making in environmental engineering, including education in this field. This article presents the ontology-information model that was used to systematize waste treatment equipment. The article presents the use of an ontological algorithm “Polyhedron” for engineers and teachers. The algorithm consists of integrating ontological solutions from abstract to specific. The proposed model consists of a general ontology of “waste treatment technologies selection”, “waste treatment equipment selection” and “Ontology for the analysis of scientific publications”. Users of the system can input the wastewater parameters that need to be disposed of, and after processing they can get approaches to achieve maximum treatment efficiency. The model, also, can provide decision-making in the field of environmental engineering solutions. For this, ontologies for the selection of specific waste treatment equipment have been created that allow you to choose specific solutions for a particular problem. System for processing information on scientific results, to analyze innovative decisions was also created. The proposed solutions allow you to quickly and efficiently process large amounts of information. Also, was describes ways of using this system in educational and engineering purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balkan countries typically share remarkable similarities in culture and history. However, this specific region received little academic attention and produced fewer scholarly deals with the green economy. Our intended purpose is to gather the most recent literature on the green economy about Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which are also produced in local Universities and show that these countries possess the potential for an easy green conversion despite barriers and lack of sufficient motivation; The first two countries as mentioned above are members of the EU, while the other two have an EU candidate status. We obtained national experts' opinions and policy recommendations through a Scopus database search (mostly) 2015–2020. Through a SWOT analysis matrix, we gather evidence of both internal and external pushes. The first push is the role of national institutions and consumers; the latter is the EU's considerable influence, which provides essential incentives to carefully foster alignment with European regulatory standards. The internal push typically bears more social responsibility in shaping domestic policies and going green. In Croatia and Slovenia, the transition towards a greener economy goes ahead positively; in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Slovenia, the lack of adequate policies and awareness (among people and companies) and the inefficient allocation of external resources remain barriers to such a greener transition. These Balkan countries deserve more attention in the academic literature, both theoretical and empirical, thanks to their unexploited green potential, which could help policymakers make their countries greener.

This article reviews the situation with PVC waste management practices in the Nordic region (Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland). The region is known for high recycling rates and advanced environmental standards, but also a significant share of incineration.We found that the statistics on PVC waste management in the region is surprisingly poor. Estimates on PVC waste generation are sporadic and not reliable and formalized reporting systems are largely lacking. Except for Denmark and a few municipalities in other countries, there are no separate national collection and recycling systems for post-consumer PVC waste. Separate collection and recycling exists only for pre-consumers waste, but there are voluntary initiatives organised by some producers/importers of flooring and piping products. These systems collect a relatively small share of the total PVC waste. Much larger amounts of PVC end up with mixed waste and are eventually treated in waste-to-energy plants.Several factors influence this situation. The environmental impacts of PVC waste are still underexplored, which partly shape the existing national waste policies and management strategies. PVC waste consists of different types of materials of diverse origins, which makes it difficult to recycle due to high quality demands for the recycled material. Separate collection is costly and there are no economies of scale. Meanwhile, the existing overcapacity of incineration infrastructure and possibilities for high temperature treatment complying to high emissions standards, results in that energy recovery is the easiest option for PVC treatment. Increasing material recovery requires additional policy interventions, which could be considered analysed in future research.

Face masks became a part of our daily life amid the global COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Most of the face masks are made for single-use and primarily disposed of in garbage bins with other non-recyclable wastes. To date, little is known about how disposable face masks in municipal solid waste (MSW) would interfere with high-solids anaerobic digestion (HSAD) in waste management facilities. Here, we first report preliminary results from a lab experiment conducted with the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) amended with used disposable face masks. The lab-scale HSAD systems were operated with percolate recirculation comparable to commercial HSAD systems typically used for full-scale processing of OFMSW. The results suggested that the presence of face masks in OFMSW could negatively affect methane productivity and kinetics. In the digesters amended with face masks, total cumulative methane production decreased by up to 18%, along with a 12–29% decrease in maximum methane production rates than the control digester (without face masks). Moreover, lag phases increased by 7–14%. The results also suggested that the type of polymeric materials used in face masks would be more critical than their total number/loading in the digester, which warrants further investigation. The visual inspection of digestate showed that the face masks were mostly undegraded after 40 days of operation. Much remains unknown about how the undegraded face masks will affect the digestate management practices, such as composting, land application, and landfilling. However, the review of existing literature suggested that they can be a potential source of plastic and microplastic pollution and amplify transmission of antibiotic resistance genes to the ecosystem. In summary, this study underscores the importance of developing safe and reliable disposal guidelines and management plans for single-use face masks.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global emergency crisis in terms of socio-economic-environmental challenges. Such crisis has altered generation and disposal of wastes both in terms of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects and poses real challenges to the policy makers to arrive at decision to ensure sustainable management of environment. The present study tries to reflect the challenges faced by the existing waste management framework to combat huge waste generation. Developing country like India, ranks second among the COVID positive cases across world which results into an enormous hike in biomedical waste generation. Therefore, the present study has attempted to highlight and discuss all those newly generated problems in view of ongoing global pandemic with the necessity of chalking out strategies integrating different traditional, modern and newly proposed waste management strategies to tackle the deteriorating environmental problems especially in respect of generation, collection, disposition and recycling of huge amount of municipal solid wastes alongside assessing different guidelines as imposed by different Government agencies for handling of municipal solid wastes under this global crisis. Despite very limited literatures, the study has tried to emphasize the role of different existing processes as well as provide recommendations for improvement in waste management sectors in order to meet the challenges of ongoing and future crisis out of pandemic.

Saravan landfill, located in northern Iran, has been an environmental cause of concern through its entire time of operation. As part of a project aimed at bringing the landfill conditions closer to standards, large-scale cyclic direct shear and bender element tests were carried out on reconstituted waste samples, obtained from different locations and depths at the landfill. Samples obtained at greater depths were found to have a higher fibre content which mostly consisted of nondegradable plastics that accumulated while a large part of the rest of the waste succumbed to biodegradation. Bender element tests showed an increase in the shear wave velocity and maximum shear modulus of the waste with ageing. This increase coincided with an increase in the sample unit weight. Normalized shear modulus reduction and damping ratio curves were obtained from the cyclic direct shear tests which were consistent with data available in literature. In addition, ageing was observed to shift the modulus reduction and damping curves to the left, decreasing the former while increasing the latter and resulting in a reduction in the shear strain corresponding to the onset of plastic behaviour. Ten cycles of direct shear loading at a 3.33% strain caused shear modulus and damping ratio to decrease by about 50% and 40%, respectively, most of which occurred within the first three or four cycles. Secant friction angle obtained from post-cyclic shear strength tests were found to vary between 32° and 55°, which was consistent with previous research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid waste collection, transfer and transportation (SWCTT) is a fundamental component of solid waste management systems that contributes to both the costs and environmental emissions associated with managing solid waste. The objective of this study is to project the fuel consumption and fuel costs of SWCTT in Tehran from 2018 to 2032. A further objective is to evaluate the air pollutant emissions from fuel consumption of SWCTT vehicles. For these purposes Waste Guidance System (WAGS) and Energy and Environment software were applied. Results of the present study showed that more than 39 million dollars would be required during the next 15 years in the SWCTT sector to supply 366 million liters of diesel fuel. In the context of local air pollution impact, about 9902.8, 6161.7, 73.5, 2639.6, 8065.5 and 4839.2 of NOX, SO2, SO3, CO, CH and SPM will be anticipated to be emitted by SWCTT sector in Tehran during the studied period.

Dairy farming's waste contributes to greenhouse (GHG) gas emission, and its conversion into biogas is of potential benefit to reduce emission while providing alternative energy for the dairy farmers. Although biogas conversion has been conducted in Banyudono, Semarang Regency, not all dairy farmers are interested in this biogas processing, and it seems to be related to the question of the benefit they would receive. This research aims to explain the management of the waste of dairy farming in Banyudono and a feasibility study on dairy farming in Banyudono, if biogas processing is not to be included and along with biogas processing. This study combines qualitative and quantitative approaches by conducting interviews, direct observation, documentation, and a feasibility study on biogas processing. This study finds that 8,400 kg of cow manure and 4,950 liters of urine are produced every day, by only 5.76% is processed into biogas, 11.25% is processed into manure, while 82.98% of the waste is left unused. The feasibility study indicates that biogas processing tends to increase the benefit received by independent farmers instead of the member of the dairy farmer group discussed in the study. Furthermore, our study reveals issues regarding the dairy farmers' environmental awareness, poor management of biogas distribution on the farmer group level, and technology adoption problems. Finally, a model of integrated farming system is composed to address the issue of waste management in Banyudono.

Biotechnology has applications in four major industrial areas, including health care crop production and agriculture, non-food uses of crops and other products, and environmental uses. Utilisation of biological processes, organisms, systems to produce products which are anticipated to improve human lives are termed as biotechnology. Biotechnological processes are used for wastewater treatment, disposal of solid waste and environmental engineering and gas treatment for preventing environmental pollution environmental engineering, trickling filters Are extensively used among waste treatment technologies. This is a review based study where biotechnology plays some major role in waste management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin of the novel human coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and its potential for harm increased face mask and medical waste in the environment, thereby necessitating the urgent prevention and control of the pandemic. The article estimates the face mask and medical waste generation in Asia during the pandemic to convince the waste management and scientific communities to find ways to address the negative impact that the waste disposal has on the environment. Standardisation, procedures, guidelines and strict implementation of medical waste management related to COVID-19, community habitats and public areas should be carefully considered to reduce pandemic risks in hospitals, as proper medical waste disposal effectively controls infection sources.

Plastic waste becomes a global environmental problem that is still difficult to overcome by countries over the world, including Indonesia. In fact, Indonesia is the second largest contributor of plastic waste in the world. This problem is even not only encountered by the countries, but also faced by a small town such as Salatiga, Central Java. To overcome the problem, the society should actively be the pioneer since they are the main producer of plastic waste. However, our previous research showed that the households performed limited efforts to manage the waste, and unexpectedly, any activity of waste collection was preferably motivated by financial reasons. Therefore, this study sheds light on the housewives’ perception on plastic and their awareness in managing waste, especially plastic waste. The data of this quantitative study were gathered by means of interview, survey, observation, and documentation from 96 housewives in 6 RW in Kecandran, Sidomukti Sub-District, Salatiga as the participants. The results showed that approximately 60% of the housewives in Kecandran village, Sidomukti sub-district were able to differentiate which waste belonged to non-biodegradable and biodegradable as well as to understand the negative impact of plastic waste toward the environment. They also participated in managing the plastic waste by sorting them (64.58%), participating in waste banks or Bank Sampah (53.13%), and reducing the plastic waste (64.58%). In addition, 85.42% of them were willing to support the government policy in reducing the use of plastic, and 40% of them participated in the payable plastic policy. The role of Bank Sampah is really important to equip the housewives with environmental knowledge. In terms of the payable plastic policy, however, their understanding is not necessarily followed by the willingness to act, which might be related to different orientations and motives.

The Amirkabir petrochemical complex (APC) is located in the south of Iran, on the northern coastline of the Persian Gulf. It has five different units which generate various waste estimated at 3115.98 ton/year. The objective of this study was to focus on the management of the processing wastes for minimizing the adverse environmental impacts. In order to properly manage and control waste generation at APC, the quantity, type, and composition of industrial wastes must be known. Therefore, questionnaires were used to collect data. Classification of industrial wastes was carried out based on a comparative analysis and synthesis of studies pertaining to petrochemical waste management. Whereby unique coding system is essential for integrated management of industrial waste, a thirteen-digit code was assigned for each waste. The main types of waste were 9.58% catalysts, 7.62% metallic materials, 35.77% plastic barrel, 12.66% coke, 4.47 % wood, 4.15% oil, 0.028 % glass, 6.7% cooling tower packing and 18.83% other material. Physical properties analysis of the wastes showed that 11.81% of these residues were liquid and 88.19% were solids. Serious problems were encountered in the present management of these wastes. The waste management at APC was quite complicated because of the diversity of wastes and their hazardous characteristics (88.19% hazardous waste). In some cases, recycling/reuse of waste was the best option, but incineration and disposal are also essential choices.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a method of assessing the environmental impacts of the manufacture and use of a product or provision of a service such as waste management. LCAs are based on quantitative science, but softer skills are also required in interpreting the results. Therefore, LCA provides an ideal opportunity for students to develop and apply both quantitative and qualitative skills in order to address complex real-world problems. In this research a simplified spreadsheet LCA tool was produced for students to assess the environmental impacts of a waste management system. Detailed feedback from face to face and distance-learning students were positive about the tool, with students welcoming the detail provided in the results and the use of a practical example to help their learning. In conclusion, LCA is an effective way of encouraging environmental and engineering students to develop and apply a wide range of transferable skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]