Search

This article aims to frame the state violence and socio-ecological injustice perpetrated against prisoners through the lens of both critical environmental justice studies and the concept of the Wasteocene. We seek to uncover the socio-ecological relationships that have historically shaped the enforcement of the prison and waste systems through a focus on the Italian context during the Covid-19 pandemic. We explore the case of a jail in Campania, a region in the South of Italy infamous for its troubled waste management that has caused uncountable and entangled health, social, and economic harms. The jail is adjacent to an area with a long history of waste disposal practices and numerous legal conflicts and corruption scandals: all characteristics that make this case emblematic of the broader problem of carceral environmental injustice. We argue that carceral institutions are generative sites for examining the dynamics of violence, expendability, and wasting relationships that are built into their structures and core functions We also maintain that the Covid-19 pandemic has both uncovered and exacerbated such dynamics and therefore stands as a framing device that further corroborates our argument. We conclude with lessons and observations for scholars studying environmental concerns and carceral systems through a multidisciplinary lens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The environmental and economic performance of Know-as-you-throw (KAYT) is unknown. • Four pilot KAYT schemes were implemented across Spain and Italy from 2019 to 2022. • KAYT reduced unsorted waste generation from 17 to 10% across pilots. • KAYT reduced the carbon footprint of waste management from 46 to 19% across pilots. • KAYT can notably reduce the carbon footprint of waste management at low cost. Considerable resources are spent globally on actions to improve the separate collection of municipal waste aiming to minimise the environmental and economic impacts of municipal waste management. One of such actions are know-as-you-throw (KAYT) schemes, which aim to change the behaviour of waste generators through tailored communication of information. KAYT schemes offer a relatively uncontroversial and simple tool, yet their environmental and economic performance remains unknown due to their limited implementation. To fill this gap, the LIFE-funded REthinkWASTE project applied a novel KAYT scheme in four pilot areas in Italy and Spain. The results of such pilots were evaluated in terms of carbon footprint and life-cycle costs of municipal waste management. The carbon footprint was notably reduced in all pilot areas, ranging from a 46% to 19% reduction, mainly due to notable reductions in unsorted waste (between 10 and 17% reduction) and subsequent lower treatment impacts. Life-cycle costs slightly increased overall, ranging from 4.6% to a −0.4% change. In addition to various sources of uncertainty, self-selection and recency biases are highlighted as major sources for potentially overestimating the benefits of KAYT in the context of large-scale and long-term KAYT implementation. The results however consistently show that the additional carbon footprint from KAYT actions can be offset with less than a 5% reduction in unsorted waste, well below the observed values. The results robustly reveal the potential of KAYT to notably reduce the carbon footprint of waste management systems with limited investment of economic resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Assessing the use of Life Cycle Thinking methodologies in Waste Management Plans. • Evaluation of different levels of implementation of Life Cycle Assessment in WMPs. • Application of the developed model for reviewing WMPs at the Italian level. • Recommendation to improve the use of LCT methodologies in the preparation of WMPs. The aim of this article is to examine how Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) contributes to the development of Waste Management Plans (WMPs). The case of Italy has been deeply investigated. The article first analyses whether and how the LCT methodologies were applied to the 21 regional WMPs; then, it draws indications for using LCT in the preparation of a WMP. Moreover, it outlines why the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology could be used as a powerful tool for regional planning in the waste field, analysing the indications for preparing a WMP that already exist at the European level and in the Italian National WM Programme. Results reveal that only four of the 21 regional WMPs include comprehensive and site-specific LCA studies. Building on these case study results, insights into the opportunities and benefits associated with incorporating LCT methodologies into WMP development and implementation are provided. This study underscores the critical importance of LCT and LCA in promoting sustainable waste management practices, ensuring compliance with European directives, and offering a foundation for more informed regional planning strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of environmental issues and the pursuit of environmental justice have gained significant attention in modern times. While progress has been made in understanding environmental impacts and establishing the right to access environmental information, the need to examine environmental inequalities persists. This study aimed to propose a methodology to identify and analyse potential 'sacrifice zones' within a region of interest using: (i) Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA), (ii) Municipal Risk Indicators, and (iii) Spatial Autoregressive (SAR) models. The relationship between environmental hazards and social disadvantage in the Campania region of Italy was estimated and the findings of this preliminary study in this area are presented. Our preliminary results: (i) reveal a non-random distribution of contaminated sites and waste management plants (ii) localize the 'sacrifice zones' that are predominantly located in municipalities between the provinces of Naples and Caserta, (iii) show a disproportionately burdened with higher environmental risk and greater social vulnerability in some specific areas. Further investigations are required to replicate the results of this study under different environmental conditions. Additionally, enabling more precise identification of affected populations and areas subjected to heightened environmental pressures that would enhance the potential of the proposed approach. The proposed methodology can be adapted to different spatial contexts and data sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste management systems have developed in recent years toward the adoption of sustainable management principles and practices, such as circular economy, zero waste, resource efficiency, waste avoidance, re-use, and recycling. Nevertheless, landfills continue to be used for waste disposal despite their risks related to contamination and effects on urban development. Most research on landfills focuses on their operational and technical aspects, while the performance and cost efficiency in managing landfills is less commonly studied, especially their post-closure management. However, improving efficiency is very relevant in the context of scarce public sector resources. This paper, therefore, analyzes the efficiency of post-closure management of landfills. Drawing on agency and stewardship theories, we focus on the difference in efficiency between public and private management of post-closure landfills. We use a linear mixed regression model to analyze data from 2015 to 2018 relating to 54 landfills (79% of which are privately managed) in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The results show that public management is more efficient than private management. Results contribute to defining drivers of cost and confirming a disparity in the performance of private and public management. Our results cast doubt on the assumption, which is prevalent in new public management theory, that private operators are more efficient than public ones. We conclude by highlighting that to reach efficiency, it is better to increase the effectiveness of regulation in terms of value for money, without pre-determined preferences for the type of management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a thorough bibliometric review of the literature on municipal solid waste compost (MSWC), focusing on the past two decades. Using an extensive dataset of 827 documents, the research patterns are analyzed via the R-based Bibliometrix package, merging metadata from Web of Science and Scopus. The analysis reveals substantial global growth in MSWC research, with a particular surge in the last 20 years. Discipline-specific journals are the main publishers, while multidisciplinary environmental outlets gained more citations. The study identifies five major collaborative author clusters that dominate productivity and citation frequency. The thematic evolution over the past five decades shows a transition from waste disposal towards topics such as heavy metals, soil properties, and plant nutrition, with emerging themes like carbon sequestration, biochar, and microplastics signaling future research directions. Specifically, the field has experienced a 7.86% annual growth rate, with an average citation rate of 26.88 per article. The 827 publications emerged from 317 sources and 1910 authors, with an international co-authorship rate of 14.75%, reflecting the field's interdisciplinary character. Thirteen primary sources and twenty-two key authors were identified as major contributors. On the geographical front, Spain and Italy led with the most contributions and highest citation count, respectively. In terms of keywords, "heavy metals" and "sewage sludge" were the most recurrent, indicating the prevailing topics in MSWC research. This analysis hence provides key insights into the evolution and future trajectory of MSWC studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling and the recovery of waste are crucial waste management strategies. In light of the new European Union (EU) circular economy approach, these strategies remain core pillars of a competitive and sustainable waste value chain. Local governments have an important role in controlling and checking the implementation of waste management policies. We study the spatial determinants of waste recovery using a dataset of 102 Italian provinces from 2001 to 2014. To induce a possible source of exogenous variation, we exploit the political cycle of the provinces to isolate the impact of waste recovery in neighbouring provinces on its own province's waste recovery. We find that after the transposition of the 2008 EU Waste Framework Directive, provinces mimic their own neighbours in the separate collection of waste aimed at recycling and recovery. This effect is more pronounced during pre-electoral years than non-pre-electoral ones, and fully guided by provinces where the president can run for re-election. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study, which covers the period from 1991 to 2017, is to analyze the relationships between recovered paper consumption, human development index, urbanization rate, and forest footprint in the framework of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis in the 10 countries that consume the most recovered paper. Considering that wood is the raw material of paper, the study investigates whether the increase in the consumption of recovered paper has a positive effect on the forest footprint. Therefore, unlike other studies, the dependent variable of the EKC model is the forest footprint. The study is original in that it is the first to analyze the effects of recovered paper consumption on environmental degradation in the context of the EKC hypothesis. To analyze the relationships between the variables, we use panel cointegration tests based on AMG and CCE estimators, which allow analysis on both a country and group basis. According to the results, the EKC hypothesis is valid only in the Netherlands. While there is a statistically significant and negative relationship between recovered paper consumption and forest footprint in the Netherlands, there is a statistically significant and negative relationship between urbanization and forest footprint in Italy. Economic and ecological benefits and costs must be considered to measure the net benefit of waste management programs. In addition, to analyze how environmental impacts change over time, ecological footprint and gas emissions during waste generation or disposal should be measured similarly to carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2020, European countries generated 807 mln tons of construction and demolition waste (CDW), accounting for 37.5% of total waste production. The UE Waste Framework Directive of 2008 established as a priority goal to increase the percentage of reuse, recycling and recovery of nonhazardous construction waste to a minimum of 70% by 2020. Pending the report that will define compliance with this goal, the average percentage currently stands at around 50%, of which only 3% involves upcycling operations. This doctoral research defines an operational methodology aimed at implementing digital processes for circularity in the AEC sector, with a focus on post-earthquake emergency Italian contexts. The treatment of CDW in earthquake-affected areas for the purpose of recovery/reuse, in a perspective of circularity, represents an underexplored field and limited, as in the rest of UE, to downcycling operations. By defining planning strategies and digital tools and procedures, the research aims to facilitate the reuse of building elements from post-earthquake demolition and reconstruction operations. The final output of the research consists of a cloud database, a Digital Material Bank (DMB), of informed building elements from post-earthquake selective demolition operations that can be reused in the construction market as a secondary raw material. The CDW management of the 2016 Central Italy earthquake is identified as the scope of application, with a focus on the situation in the Marche region. Finally, the main limitations and possible future scenarios of the research are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid waste management (SWM) represents an important issue for small islands. This research evaluates the municipal SWM system of the Pelagian archipelago, in Italy. The research aims to evaluate environmental and econoemic benefits of onsite treatment plants for the valorization of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. The sizing of the anaerobic digestion (AD) and composting plant was developed, and the characteristics of the plant were used to conduct a cost analysis and an environmental life cycle assessment. The current waste management system (S0) has been compared with the new strategy proposed (S1). Results showed that S1 leads to save more than 250,000 € y−1 due to the avoidance of organic waste final disposal and shipping, determining a payback time of about 7 years. Environmental benefits include a lowering of CO2-eq emission of more than 1100 tonnes per year and a reduction of all the six environmental impacts analysed. The outcomes represent a novel contribution to the scientific literature since the research provides the first comparison of quantitative data about environmental and cost benefits of onsite AD plants in small islands. The research underlines that onsite waste treatment systems are viable options to improve SWM systems in isolated regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates how and whether circular economy (CE) business models affect the implementation of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the waste management sector. A case study is used to determine the relationship between CE business models and SDGs. It shows that CE business models, potentially, can contribute directly to achieving a significant number of SDGs. The strongest relationships are between the CE business model and the targets of SDG4 (Quality education); SDG 5 (Gender equality); SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 8 (Decent working and economic growth); SDG 9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure), SDG 11 (Sustainable cities and communities) SDG 12 (Responsible consumption and production). After a narrative literature review on the intersection between CE and SDGs, the paper performed a case study on Contarina SpA, a firm that developed a business model to recycle wastes into recyclable materials under a CE approach. The case findings could stimulate further research into how this and similar types of business models will help societies to change from the 'use‐it‐once‐and‐throw‐it away' mentality of linear business models to the integrated, holistic, CE model that seeks to emulate nature's cyclical systems, and achieve the implementation of sustainable development goals (SDGs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The landscape is changing to accommodate the disposal and collection of waste. More than 30.000.000 tons of urban, and 1.000.000 of special are produced in Italy every year and their management is diversified and requires adequate systems such as incinerators which dispose of them through combustion and landfills which are definitive deposits among the most ancient techniques and among the most dangerous for the environment. Observing the rubbish magma as it is received by the landscape is today's challenge that the research cartographically documents by focusing on the one hand on simple cataloguing as numerically significant data in itself, and on the other on the analysis of the aspects linked to the phenomena of new urbanization or phenomena modification of the existing one that this proliferation of disposal plants determines. We can say a moving seismograph that documents a reality that invades the territory in surprisingly different ways in time and space and whose research reveals the unexplored architectural potential by taking an example from that process which sees places altered by the presence of waste, once perceived as inhospitable, to be transformed into real project opportunities as evidenced by the numerous parks or the 'energy bases' built in places previously abandoned and taken away from the city that welcomes them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cost of Italian Municipal Waste Management grew constantly between 2011 and 2019. • Panel data analysis at provincial level, focus on 2015–2018. • Separation without Waste Hierarchy increases total waste management costs. This work investigates the role of waste treatment methods and separation policies in explaining the Total Waste Management Costs (TWMC) at NUTS 3 level, Italy, between 2015 and 2018. In this context, northern provinces generally have high efficiency and circularity, while central and southern provinces lag behind. It is unclear how much of the difference is motivated by socioeconomic factors and how much by political entrenchment in low circularity policies. Panel data models have been estimated using provincial and regional fixed effects targeting TWMC as the dependent variable. Two main independent variables are considered as drivers. One is a composite policy indicator that gives higher weight to circular methods and waste-to-energy treatments. Lower weights have been given to increase landfill, generic incineration, and biological and mixed treatments. The second independent variable is the ratio between separated waste and total municipal waste flow. The estimations' results indicate that the composite indicator of circular policies reduces TWMC while separation policies increase them. Furthermore, it is estimated that provinces need to improve their composite performance significantly to offset the cost increases derived by separation policies. Thus, perseverance in pursuing an incomplete circular policy might be a driver of TWMC at the local level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) is one of the main geochemical techniques employed in multi-elemental analysis screening for contaminated sites management. As the confidence of pXRF analyses are matrix-specific, efforts are made to provide studies of pXRF quality on different geochemical datasets, focusing on less investigated elements such as mercury (Hg) and antimony (Sb), to help both new and experienced users. The analysis of environmental solid samples from two decommissioned mining sites in NE Italy, characterised by Pb-Zn and (Hg-rich) Cu-Sb ore deposits, were prepared with two different protocols and compared with traditional destructive analyses. Sample composition was found strictly dependent to the occurrence of false positives and overestimation at low concentrations. In contrast, milling the sample did not produce major variations in the overall quality. Lead (Pb), Sb, and Zn reached the definitive data quality in at least one of the two datasets. Consequently, as far as a thorough QA/QC protocol is followed, pXRF can rapidly produce chemical data that is as accurate as that produced by destructive standard laboratory techniques, thus allowing to identify potential sources of contamination that could be reprocessed for the extraction of valuable elements and mitigating the dispersion of contaminants and ecological or health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of implementing the pay-as-you-throw policy as a fiscal incentive mechanism for municipal waste management across municipalities in the Emilia-Romagna region, Italy. Utilizing panel data from 2010 to 2022 and employing a synthetic control with staggered treatment adoption, we evaluate the policy's effects on environmental and local public finance performances. Our findings reveal that treated municipalities witness an average 10% increase in separate waste collection alongside a parallel reduction in municipal waste production since the policy outset, equating to approximately 60 kg per capita annually. Furthermore, our analysis indicates that the policy enables local governments to reduce current energy and environmental expenditures by roughly €130 per capita annually in our optimal model. Notably, results hold robust across three recently developed estimators using difference-in-differences with staggered treatment adoption over time. The policy proves overall effectiveness in promoting circularity within municipal waste management systems, leading to better environmental performances, and decreased environmental management expenses. These implications underscore the potential value for local governments to adopt similar strategies where not yet envisaged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ports are affected by a high rate of sedimentation that requires frequent dredging of the seabed to restore bathymetric levels. In some cases, the sediments consist of a large amount of leaves of phanerogams (e.g., P. oceanica) that must be treated differently from what is required by the Italian law on sediments (Ministerial Decree No. 173/2016), since soils cannot be treated either as sediment or as waste. About one meter of the sediment cores collected in the Port of Sperlonga consisted of organic waste derived from a different stage of seagrass decomposition. To optimize the management, the decomposed organic detritus was characterized from physical-chemical (content of nutrient and pollutants), ecotoxicological and mechanical (microtensile, microscopic structure) points of view, to define different management solutions for the final disposal. The results of this study describe the characteristics of this type of organic detritus, highly present in Mediterranean coastal ecosystems, and allow a better definition of different possible solutions to valorize this resource instead of disposing it in an organic waste landfill. The search for environmentally friendly options for waste management is of particular interest in terms of the green economy, and the reduction of CO2 emissions as an indirect effect obtained by improving waste recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The proportion of reported causes of death (CoDs) that are not underlying causes can be relevant even in high-income countries and seriously affect health planning. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study identifies these 'garbage codes' (GCs) and redistributes them to underlying causes using evidence-based algorithms. Planners relying on vital registration data will find discrepancies with GBD estimates. We analyse these discrepancies, through the analysis of GCs and their redistribution. Methods We explored the case of Italy, at national and regional level, and compared it to nine other Western European countries with similar population sizes. We analysed differences between official data and GBD 2019 estimates, for the period 1990–2017 for which we had vital registration data for most select countries. Results In Italy, in 2017, 33 000 deaths were attributed to unspecified type of stroke and 15 000 to unspecified type of diabetes, these making a fourth of the overall garbage. Significant heterogeneity exists on the overall proportion of GCs, type (unspecified or impossible underlying causes), and size of specific GCs among regions in Italy, and among the select countries. We found no pattern between level of garbage and relevance of specific GCs. Even locations performing below average show interesting lower levels for certain GCs if compared to better performing countries. Conclusions This systematic analysis suggests the heterogeneity in GC levels and causes, paired with a more detailed analysis of local practices, strengths and weaknesses, could be a positive element in a strategy for the reduction of GCs in Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: This research aims at understanding the sources of plastic litter in a freshwater body, assessing the possible production of secondary microplastics (MPs). Plastic waste dispersion is a well-recognized environmental threat, despite continuous efforts towards improving waste disposal management over the last few decades. Plastic litter is known to strongly impact upon water bodies and shorelines, affecting the health of ecosystems and impacting upon the aesthetic value of sites. Moreover, plastic waste that is abandoned on beaches contributes towards different degradation processes that potentially lead to the formation of secondary microplastics (MPs), with likely cascade effects upon the whole ecosystem. In this view, this study aims to characterize the plastic beach litter found on the shores of the western basin of Como Lake (Italy) to better understand the origin of MPs in littoral sediments, including the recognition of object typologies and the chemical characterization of polymers using Fourier-transformed infrared analysis (FTIR). The results highlighted that the most abundant polymers on beaches are polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE), representing 73% of the collected polymers. This confirms that floating, low-density polymers are more likely to accumulate on beaches. Moreover, almost 66% of litter is represented by commonly used manufactured items (disposable objects, packaging, and everyday items). This evidence, combined with the analysis of the main environmental features of the sampling sites (the main winds, distance to urban areas, and the presence of tributaries) indicate that abundance of beached litter is mainly linked to beach accessibility and the local winds. These results highlight that multiple factors affect the environmental fate of plastic litter and give insights into the assessment of secondary microplastics in beach sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Various factors influence whether Italian provinces meet collection rate targets. • Convictions for crimes against the public administration impact collection rate. • Provinces with more female municipal administrators have higher collection rates. • Household characteristics influence individual attitudes toward recycling. • Landfills recourse and waste generated per capita affect collection rate. This paper investigates the factors affecting Italian provinces' separate collection rates from 2007 to 2016, as these rates are relevant environmental performance indicators in urban waste management. We observe data spanning this decade from 103 Italian provinces and use panel data regressions to explore if and how some relevant socio-economic factors—including convictions for crimes committed against the public administration and many indicators of equitable and sustainable well-being that describe the quality of life in Italy—significantly affect provinces' capability to reach European and national regulators' separate collection rate targets. The results reveal that the greater the prosecuted crime committed against the public administration, average income, expected age, number of people with a diploma or a degree, and the percentage of female municipal administrators, the greater the separate waste collection rate. In contrast, the greater the number of household members, youth employment rate, total waste produced per capita, and the recourse for landfills, the lower the separate waste collection rate. These results highlight for policy-makers and waste utility managers the need to implement different strategies to increase the ability to meet expected targets and increase environmental performance, and thus, further increasing the quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To collect pilot data on medication disposal practices of unused and expired medications from three cities in three countries. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Pittsburgh, United States (US); Turin, Italy; and Kobe, Japan. A convenience sampling was utilized through drug take-back programs in Pittsburgh, US; pharmacy customers in Turin, Italy; and pharmacy students and family members in Kobe, Japan. Descriptive analysis was conducted to assess medications disposal practices including attitudes and beliefs of respondents. Results: The sample included 342 respondents [99 (Pittsburgh, US); 168 (Turin, Italy); and 75 (Kobe, Japan)]. The mean unused and expired medications per patient for Pittsburgh, US was (1.60±2.30 and 0.51±1.54); Turin, Italy (1.69±1.86 and 0.49±1.22) and Kobe, Japan (6.69±8.78 and 0.84±2.26). The major reason for unused medications in Pittsburgh, US (31.3%) was "Medication was as needed"; in Turin, Italy (28.0%) "No longer suffer from the condition"; and in Kobe, Japan (54.7%) "No longer suffer from the condition". The most common reason for expired medications was "No longer suffer from the condition" (Pittsburgh, US 17.2%; Turin, Italy 15.5%; Kobe, Japan 12.0%). The disposal method in Pittsburgh, US was disposing in the toilet (35.4%); returned to the pharmacy in Turin, Italy (51.2%); and disposed the original container in the trash in Kobe, Japan (82.7%). Conclusions: There is a need for counseling protocols regarding proper disposal, which can lead to better adherence, reduction of prescription drug abuse, and less environmental hazards due to improper disposal of prescription medications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to an emerging literature stream advocating the multifaceted involvement of the waste management sector in supporting the up‐scaling of the circular economy (CE). It explores the role of waste collection and recycling platforms in overcoming various barriers to CE implementation, inductively analyzing the case of postconsumer wood in Italy. Data were collected from multiple sources: interviews with 33 informants, participation in project meetings, site visits, and public and private documents. The case shows how waste collection platforms can perform different activities that can help address cultural, regulatory, market, and technological barriers. First, these platforms can contribute to stimulating demand for postconsumer wood, carrying out information and communication activities, and fostering the development of a positive image of the recovered material. Second, the platforms can contribute to defining and implementing the conditions to enable the activation of recycling processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organic fraction (mainly food waste) is typically the most abundant of the separately collected waste streams. The research aims at investigating the influence of different types of collection bag on the environmental performances of the food waste management chain in Italy. A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) between two alternative systems based on paper or bioplastic collection bags was carried out. It included the collection bags manufacturing and distribution, their use at the household, the transportation of collected food waste and its subsequent anaerobic digestion, including the valorisation of useful outputs and the management of residues. The two systems were modelled mainly with primary data related to the current management system and to tests performed on bags. The LCA was performed with two different modelling approaches applied in the environmental product declaration (EPD) system and in the product environmental footprint (PEF) studies, respectively. In the scenario representing the average conditions, higher environmental impacts are shown by the use of bioplastic bags compared to paper ones with the EPD approach (+257%/+576%). With the PEF approach, the differences between the two systems are lower (−55%/+133%). Moreover, paper bags could allow for further impact reductions assuming a decrease of the food waste collection frequency, allowed by higher weight losses and a lower generation of leachate and odour during the household storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of Technosols development, spatial distribution and physicochemical characteristics is becoming more and more important in the Anthropocene Era. The aim of the present study was to assess soil features and potential heavy metal release risk of soils developed on different mine tailing types after the waste disposal derived from mining activity in Central Italy. Soils were analyzed for their morphological, physical and chemical properties, and a chemical sequential extraction of heavy metals was performed. The investigated soils were classified as Technosols toxic having in some layer within 50 cm of the soil surface inorganic materials with high concentrations of toxic elements. Our findings showed that the bioavailability of potentially toxic element concentrations in the soil changed according to the origin of the mine tailing. However, because of the acidic pH, there is a serious risk of metals leaching which was reduced where the soil organic matter content was higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life cycle assessment (LCA) and related tools are commonly used to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of waste treatment scenarios. This manuscript presents a mini-review of studies published over the last 10 years in Italy and aims to investigate how life cycle thinking tools are applied to assess the environmental sustainability of local-level waste policies. Results reveal that different waste flows, technologies and policies have been investigated independently and in varying detail. Review suggests that boundary selection significantly affects LCA results; integration of different waste systems is therefore crucial to avoid spatial or temporal shifts of environmental impacts. Moreover, the description of methodological characteristics, limitations and transversal aspects of Italian waste management studies allows various stakeholders to assess the reliability of past and future research for waste policy planning and rebound effects prevention. This review also highlights the need to define minimum requirements of transparency and ease of reporting of the studies to private and public stakeholders. Finally, the paper investigates whether using both the organisational LCA and the life cycle sustainability approach for the overall waste management process may be useful to develop a standard method to address multi-functionalities and multiple sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foodservice is estimated to produce 12% of the total food waste in Europe, and it is a major target for policies against food waste. The amount of food lost during foodservice operations has been assessed in the literature as a figure ranging from 10% to 41% of the quantity prepared in the kitchen, either as non-served food or as plate waste. In this paper, a systematization of the current initiatives against food waste in EU school foodservice is provided. This background is used as a base to discuss the results of a direct assessment of food waste conducted in 78 primary schools in Italy, where 28.6% of the food prepared was not consumed by the diners. Part of it was saved for reuse, while the rest was disposed and treated as organic waste or, to a lesser extent, as unsorted waste. The flows of food waste, represented by a Sankey diagram, show that some actions may be implemented in order to save more food from disposal; for example, implementing donation programmes for non-served food or using doggy bags to avoid the disposal of plate waste. A greater effort shall be put on preventive actions, aimed at avoiding the generation of food waste; in this sense regular monitoring at schools may act as a first preventive measure as it can increase the awareness of students, teachers and foodservice staff over the issue of food waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decade, waste management and prevention have become important in the transition towards a circular economy (CE). This study explores how voluntary environmental policies, adopted at a regional level, contribute to green transition from the perspective of the CE. By considering general and region-specific trends in waste management and environmental certifications, we perform a two-step analysis on a panel of 20 Italian regions between 2015 and 2019: the first step extrapolates the relative efficiency by using a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), while the second step extrapolates the efficiency in terms of productivity changes supported by Malmquist Productivity Analysis (MPA). The DEA results show an overall rising trend of efficiency among the Italian regions, supported by the MPA. Furthermore, they reveal that technological innovation in Italian waste management contributes to a greater efficiency in socio-economic systems which are characterized by 'environmental federalism'. From a decision-making perspective, this study suggests that measures such as the incentivization of voluntary environmental policies should be proposed to promote techno-organizations' transition to CE, in coherence with regional economic/industrial specializations and strategies, possibly based on a diversified policy mix, setting a knowledge-based framework by using budgetary measures and policy actions at the regional level. • Circular Economy with resource recovery is a driving force to achieve green transition. • Increase in resource efficiency is an unexplored economic opportunity to support growth. • EMAS and UNI EN ISO certifications are proxies for the level of attention paid to the environment. • Voluntary environmental certifications facilitate the transition. • Choices made at the regional level contribute to the transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Packaged drinking water represents one of the fastest growing commodities on a global scale, and several alternatives to plastic have been proposed, such as glass, cardboard or aluminum. The research has a twofold goal: (i) first, it calculates the amount of water-packaging waste generated in Italy in 2020, distinguishing among PET, glass, aluminum and cardboard materials, and it applies the material flow analysis through the STAN 2.7.101 software; (ii) second, it evaluates the carbon footprint of the management of the primary water-packaging waste, considering recycling, incineration with energy recovery and landfilling by using the CO2ZW tool. The research estimates the adverse environmental impacts of the selected management pathways considering 1 kg of water-packaging and 1000 L of packaged water. The results show that each year 1311 kt of waste and almost 289 ktCO 2 eq of direct and indirect emissions are associated with recycling, incineration with energy recovery and landfilling of water-packaging in Italy. PET bottles record the highest environmental impact with 0.77 kgCO 2 eq per kg of treated waste, with incineration representing a significant burden (1.80 kgCO 2 eq per kg of treated waste) compensated by recycling. The research discusses opportunities and challenges toward a more sustainable waste management of water-packaging, highlighting the need to increase recycling rates among final consumers and reduce incineration with energy recovery, which significantly contributes to the release of carbon emissions. Last, heavy bottles should be substituted with ultralight ones, since waste management emissions can be reduced by 13% by replacing 490 g of glass bottles with 390 g ones. • The carbon footprint (CF) of water-packaging waste management in Italy is carried out. • In Italy, 1311 kt of water-packaging waste and 289 ktCO 2 eq emissions are generated per year. • PET bottles record the highest CF (0.77 kgCO 2 eq per kg of treated waste). • Incineration with energy recovery represents a significant environmental burden in Italy. • Reducing the weight of glass bottles by 0.10 kg per unit can reduce the CF by 13%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evidence of the impact of the mismanagement of plastic goods in the environment has captured the attention of scientists, policy makers and manufacturers. Urgent measures, regarding a combination of preventing plastic use and massively improving waste management, have been acclaimed by different stakeholders with the common goal to make a more resilient and competitive plastic industry. European Commission has pledged itself publishing the first EU-wide policy framework on plastics. The new recycling targets and calculation method put under pressure the current waste management system (WMS), characterized by fragmentation in responsibilities and underperforming cost-benefit balance. In addition, the public-private governance and the increasing number in waste consortia and platforms contribute to make the waste streams traceability challenging. The following study, resulting from a collaboration between the University of Bologna (UNIBO), the Emilia-Romagna Region (ERR), and the Regional Agency for Prevention, Environment and Energy (ARPAE), investigates the current panorama of plastic waste recycling system in ERR (Italy) with the aim to find out to what extent the current performance fulfils the future scenario established by the European Commission. The market of secondary plastics (SPs) has been investigated as well. The secondary resources, which are no longer waste, are not registered and monitored by official data collection scheme. Data extrapolated from official waste databases are integrated with results coming from individual questionnaire submitted to local recyclers. The identification of the main polymeric streams and, therefore, the exploitation of economic potential represent the preliminary actions to strategically plan an after-use plastic economy whose main goal is having all recyclable and/or recycled plastic packaging by 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We analyze percentages of waste separation at a municipal level. • We study the role of municipal distance from plants in waste management. • A very general complex network approach is adopted. • Communities detection is explored for both the investigated issues. • The theoretical model is validated over high quality data from the Italian reality. The paper contributes to the debate concerning the management of municipal solid waste by providing an analysis of two key aspects of waste management - namely, waste separation and dispatch to treatment plants. Our analysis aims at detecting the extent to which actual behavior in (close-by) municipalities is similar with respect to those two aspects. To pursue our scope, a complex network approach is followed. In particular, we conceptualize, explore and compare two networks, whose nodes are the municipalities, while weights synthesize in one network the percentage of sorted waste that is collected at a municipal level, and in the other one the distance from the waste processing plants used by each municipality. The theoretical network models are implemented through an empirical study based on a high quality dataset referred to Italian municipalities. In this regard, the detection of communities of municipalities and their geospatial contextualization are introduced as devices for a complete description of current practices of municipal waste separation and transfers in Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Italian waste taxation and its components are analysed at the provincial level. • The regressivity (progressivity) of the Italian taxation is investigated. • Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) is applied on Italian provincial data. • Pay-As-You-Throw scheme allows to achieve a higher equality. The Italian financing system for waste collection and disposal services, still far from a price-based system at the national level, is similar to a real property tax system. Among other concerns, this raises equity issues. The aim of this paper is threefold. First, the structure of the waste tax in its components (i.e., fixed and variable) is analysed at the provincial level. This allows to investigate the magnitude of the two tax components in Italian provinces, while showing the differences among macro-areas in the financing system for waste collection and disposal services. Second, the regressivity (progressivity) of the tax system adopted is investigated, so as to highlight the differences among geographical areas. Third, an alternative base for the waste tax is proposed, in order to avoid regressivity and achieve higher equality. For these purposes, official data referring to 2017 are used and a Geographically Weighted Regression is implemented. The results highlight the importance of an alternative base of the waste tax to design an equal and non-regressive tax, more similar to a Pay-As-You-Throw scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effect of ownership on sustainable development and environmental policy in Italian municipally owned corporations (MOCs) dealing with urban waste management, trying to understand if multiple ownership can generate better performance compared to single ownership and if the presence of private partners could be crucial in this. The research question is answered by analyzing 41 MOCs of the largest Italian cities operating in urban waste management. In this specific sector, public administrations have tried to improve their offer in terms of sustainable development, environmental policy, and efficiency. The paper covers the Italian case study, where urban waste production per capita is higher than the European average figure. The waste cycle management service is operated in Italy at local level through totally publicly owned companies (monoadministration or multiadministration), mixed (public–private) companies, or via a full externalization achieved by means of public tenders. Through a multinomial ordered probit panel, we show that MOCs with multiple owners perform better than those having a single owner and perform much better with the presence of a private partner, confirming those academic findings according to which collaborative arrangements can increase efficiency, do better than public sector bureaucracy, and lower the costs of service provision. The results of this paper can be used by academics, practitioners, and policy makers alike. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only study that applies this perspective to the analysis of the current international waste management scenario with relation to MOCs having multiple ownerships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the article is to analyse the social transformations produced and observed in the field of waste management. In particular, the focus is on the «Zero Waste» strategy, which has been proposing for at least two decades at a global level an alternative model of waste governance to the one centred on incinerators and landfills. The article proposes a theoretical framework to describe the genesis of «Zero Waste» as a discursive practice, proposing to observe jointly its characteristic symbolic, technological and organisational elements. In reporting the results of an ethnographic research conducted on the case of «Zero Waste» in Italy, the article also focuses on the processes of knowledge exchange between social movements, local administrations, universities and municipalised companies, the conjunctions between ecological movements and movements for the commons, the start of processes of remunicipalisation of local public services starting from a new strategy of legitimation of the public vs. the private, and the progressive institutionalisation of political ecology in the European and local policy arena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The In.Te.Se. project - Innovation Territory and Services, for waste management in scattered areas is an Interreg V-A France Italy (ALCOTRA) project, financed within the framework of European cross-border cooperation programmes, in the Alpine region between France and Italy. On the subject of the local exploitation of organic waste, it permits the experimentation of home composting in scattered and cross-border areas in the Italian territories of the Province of Cuneo (Consorzio Servizi Ecologia e Ambiente, CSEA) and in the French areas of the PACA Region (Syndicat Mixte de Traitement des Ordures Ménagères des cantons du Guillestrois et de l'Argentièrois, SMITOMGA), through the use of individual and collective, manual and electromechanical composters. During the project it is estimated that a quantity of organic waste equal to about 2% of the not sorted waste produced in 2019 has been valorised, in 3 municipalities of CSEA and 23 municipalities followed by SMITOMGA where a separate collection circuit does not exist and it is conferred with the general unsorted waste. Overall, 31.72 tons of compost are obtained. The environmental balance deriving from the cooperation of the territories also makes it possible to estimate a negative balance of CO2 produced, with 3212.78 kgCO2 avoided. The economic assessment of not sending the organic component for disposal produced a saving for the two communities as a whole of €10,397.56, involving only 15% of the total population in the municipalities investigated. At the same time, a comparison with a separated collection system for the organic matter, determines the saving of €27,295.73 considering the all tested area. The implementation of this good practice has the potential to achieve interesting results from an environmental, social and economic point of view and to be extended to further portions of the territory and has demonstrated the successful choice of cross-border cooperation and the diversification of applied techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• External operational variables are associated with efficiency estimation. • Efficiency is higher in municipalities with lower levels of income per capita. • Efficiency is lower for municipalities with higher undifferentiated waste produced. • Adoption of zero waste strategy is related to higher efficiency in MSW service. • Privatization is not associated with significant improvement in performance results. This paper assesses the performance of waste services in the region of Tuscany in Italy. It adopts non-parametric techniques for this purpose. Furthermore, it investigates the influence of the operational environment on the estimated performance by using the robust order-m technique. Meaningful levels of inefficiency were found in the Italian waste services. A specification of the ownership of the operator entrusted with waste management by municipalities and the formal adoption of the zero-waste strategy are included as environmental variables. The study concludes that the influence of the operational environment is a determinant of performance. The income per capita is negatively associated with efficiency, while population density is positively associated. Furthermore, efficiency levels are lower for municipalities with higher mixed waste per capita produced. Improving good pro-environmental behaviours is likely to improve efficiency and, thus, tariffs. The empirical results support the idea that it is necessary to make relevant organizational decisions that imply higher costs to increase the refuse collection rate. An increase in the separate collection rate beyond 50% is associated with the reduction of the efficiency level reached. Efficiency analysis does not consider the additional costs and the opportunities for municipalities to get revenues by selling them as secondary raw materials. Besides, the adoption of a zero-waste strategy is related to higher efficiency in MSW service provision. Finally, results about the ownership issue support the idea that privatization is not necessarily associated with the performance improvement of the waste services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decade, the approach to waste management has undergone severe changes. The urgent need to face the sustainable demand for energy and materials while limiting the burdens associated to traditional waste handling practices have figured out the concept of waste as a resource. New strategies boosting the extensive recovery and diverting waste from disposal activities have been promoted and framed in the wider context of the urban mining, promoting the full exploitation of waste as resource for either new materials or energy production. Such approach has been recently proposed to handle over 5 million tons of pretreated municipal solid waste produced and stored in the form of bales in Campania Region, in southern Italy, between 2000 and 2009. However, since the feasibility of this approach is related to the waste composition as well as to the selection process, an experimental study was performed at an industrial mechanical treatment plant to assess the potential for valorisation of this waste. Results showed that the overall sustainability of the urban mining strategies for the management of Campania waste bales is tightly linked to the flexibility of the selection process scheme to be adopted, which should make the waste recovery fit the market demand of either material or energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The sustainability of the waste policy in Italy was assessed from 2007 to 2016. • Deterministic environmental, social and economic indicators were used. • Integrated sustainability indicator showed an increase sustainability of 10%. • Larger benefits were detect for PM reduction and policy target implementation. The sustainability of the waste management system imposed by EU legislation was assessed using the Italian context as a case study by analysing the period from the year 2007 to the year 2016. An integrated sustainability indicator (ISI) based on environmental, social and economic life cycle approach was used. Since the earlier directives the EU waste management policy was strongly oriented to the implementation of the higher levels of the hierarchy, i.e. preparation for reuse and recycling, and a contemporary ban of disposal activities and in particular of landfill. All this was stated in legal quantitative targets to be achieved within a given scheduled time, demonstrated by continuous implementation of a reliable economic, legal and political framework including, among others, penalties, economic support and extended producer responsibility. Noticeable increase of the amount of waste moved to recycling led to a decrease of main environmental burden due to kgCO 2 eq and kgPeq. The same activity led to avoided impacts detected for both kgPMeq and human health (DALY). A relevant role related to these benefits was also played by the waste to energy sector. Opposite trend was found for the whole average management costs that change from about 146 €/inhabitant in 2007 to about 218 €/inhabitant in 2016. A general decrease of the ISI of about 10% was also detected indicating an increase of the overall sustainability of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the recommendation of the EU environmental policies, the Italian waste management system still needs of further assessment processes. Until recently, some areas, especially in the South, have experienced serious waste management crises, mainly due to low rates of separate waste collection. This paper aims to investigate the driving factors of the landfill disposal rate. This may allow to suggest some policy recipes in order to reduce the percentage of waste disposed of at landfills and, consequently, to promote healthy environment and the citizens' health. Therefore, we propose a cluster analysis and a quantile regression technique to evaluate the magnitude of the socioeconomic and institutional factors on the landfill disposal rate. Results show that the separate collection process plays a key role to effectively reduce the waste disposed of in landfills. In this context, enhancing prevention, re-use, recycling and recovery activities becomes necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present paper is to analyse the gap among Italian macro-areas performances in terms of separate waste collection rate and density of separate waste collection. The aim is twofold: (1) to investigate if clear and effective infrastructure policies, in Southern Italy, have been realized that are able to reduce the gap in the separate waste collection process with the rest of Italy and (2) to evaluate if Southern Italian municipalities have improved their operational capacity in the separate waste collection process. In particular, we exploit data collected in 2012 by several Italian sources (ISPRA and ISTAT). We implement a recentered influence function regression technique that allows us to put two macro-areas in comparison (North vs. South and Centre vs. South). This technique, once measured the territorial gaps, allows to disentangle the gap in the two spatial units of analysis (at municipalities level and at macro-areas level). The estimates suggest that while in the North the issue of waste is managed effectively and responsibly with respect to the Southern area, the latter has exhibited an advantage with respect to the Central Italy; furthermore, Southern municipalities appear to be unable to pursue a virtuous waste management system generating the persistence of a marked territorial gap in terms of both SCR and DSC. The main policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of biodegradable waste in landfills is associated to a range environmental impacts and refers to a linear model regarded as unsustainable. At the same time, many agricultural and urban soils present low organic matter content. Composting is emerging as a good practice for converting organic waste into a new resource able to improve soil properties, thus providing regulation Ecosystem Services. Considering a territorial metabolism perspective, this work discusses the potential contribution to regional planning of a transferable methodology for quantifying environmental impacts and benefits associated to waste management, based on a combined use of Life Cycle Assessment and Geographic Information Systems, and considering Ecosystem Services deriving from the application of compost in agricultural soils. The approach was tested through a site-dependent analysis based on primary data, referring to year 2019 and focusing on the Veneto Region, Italy. Results indicate that direct benefits associated to the use of compost and the thermal energy to district heating are compensating from 29 % to 51 % of the impacts associated to compost production, while waste transports represent the largest share of the impacts, covering between 52 % and 78 % of the total flows considered. The proposed methodology is applied for comparing the reference condition to alternative scenarios, in the perspective of providing support in Strategic Environmental Assessment procedures. In this context, results shown markedly lower impacts associated to compost production, with respect to organic waste treatment, for 5 out of 6 of the considered categories (freshwater eutrophication 100:1, climate change 5:1), with the notable exception of water resource depletion. Scenarios produced are discussed with respect to the choice between centralized and non-centralized plants, and the characterization of potential benefits at the territorial scale associated to compost use for urban green infrastructures. With respect to this latter point, results showed an underdeveloped use of compost-related ES flow, compared to its capacity, suggesting an interest for further research aimed at estimating compost requirements by urban and peri-urban soils. • LCA-GIS analysis allows evaluating interactions associated to compost flow. • Quantifying ecosystem services flow and capacity requires a spatial approach. • Transports highly contribute to the impact, which is lower than organic waste treatment. • Direct benefits are partly compensating impacts of compost production. • Evaluation of ecosystem services for urban soils at the regional scale is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste-to-energy (WtE) technology is at the forefront of low-carbon municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment. MSW has been favoured by researchers in recent years due to its high potential to dispose of resources with WtE technology, which contributes to the carbon neutrality goal. However, there is a lack of research that integrates MSW WtE treatment from a global perspective and explores its future direction. Bibliometric methods are widely used because of their advantages in qualitative and quantitative literature information analysis. A comprehensive search was conducted in the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection database, covering the period from 1990–2022, resulting in the collection of 702 articles. Subsequently, bibliometric software such as CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrix, were jointly employed for co-occurrence, co-citation, and cluster analyses, providing an in-depth qualitative and quantitative analysis of the research hotspots and development trends of WtE technology for MSW treatment. The research findings indicate a rapid growth in studies on carbon emission reduction through WtE technology for MSW treatment since 2015, with these related articles accounting for 50% of articles. Globally, China, the United States, Italy, and other countries were active research regions, with Chinese research institutions making the largest contributions. However, contributions from developing countries are limited. Furthermore, this study systematically elaborates on the research hotspots in this field. Finally, this study identified some frontier research hotspots and directions. Research on WtE technology primarily focuses on technological methods and policy management, particularly from the carbon neutrality perspective, emphasis WtE technology sustainability in reducing carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality goals. Promoting the use of assisted decision-making models in the MSW management process, and focusing on the conversion of food waste into valuable energy. It is hoped that these research directions will provide new ideas for the balanced and rapid development of WtE technology. • First bibliometric of current research on MSW WtE technologies from carbon neutral perspective. • Summarizes the five categories of research hotspots that currently exist in MSW WtE technologies. • Presents future research directions and themes for WtE technologies in MSW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Separate waste collection and landfilling represent two key outcomes of waste management. Italy recently observed major shifts in waste targets. Regional policymakers, in charge of devising waste management plans, have been required to review their strategies, in view of the transition towards circular economy. This work proposes a theoretical framework that outlines the policymaker's problem and estimates regional efficiency in waste management using Data Envelopment Analysis on time series data. We find that the target shifts reduced efficiency in the short run, but encouraged the circular economy transition over time. Current waste management regulations need to consider regional heterogeneity when setting targets and constraints. • Targets for Separate Waste Collection and landfilling have been introduced in Italy. • Simultaneous pursual of both targets fosters the transition towards circularity. • This work outlines and solves the environmental policymaker's problem. • Using DEA, we estimate efficiency in waste management for Italian regions. • The targets reduced efficiency in the short run but fostered circularity over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects and costs of adopting a zero-waste (ZW) strategy were evaluated. Using the propensity score matching method and data on Italian municipalities from 2019, our empirical analysis indicates that the separate collection rate was approximately 4% higher and urban unsorted waste was approximately 22–26 kg per capita lower for municipalities that have formally adopted the ZW strategy, confirming its effectiveness in fostering sustainable waste management. The cost for inhabitants was 13–16 euros higher for ZW municipalities than non-ZW municipalities, which confirms the importance of balancing through the sale of recycling materials. • Performance and costs of the adoption of zero-waste (ZW) strategy were analyzed. • ZW municipalities in Italy are better able to comply with laws and avoid penalties • The average separate collection rate was approx. 4% higher in ZW municipalities • Unsorted waste per capita is significantly lower for ZW municipalities, by 22–26 kg • ZW municipalities had higher costs per capita (by approx. 13–16 euros) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research analyses the issue, unexplored to date, of the causal relationship between women politicians and selective waste collection. Differing attitudes towards environmental issues between men and women may affect waste management at the municipal level, so an increase in women's political representation can be expected to enhance the effectiveness of selective waste collection. The analysis tests for this in Italy, exploiting a gender quota measure (Law 215/2012) as an exogenous shock to the percentage of female municipal councilors. Difference-in-differences instrumental variable analysis finds that an increase of one standard deviation in the percentage of female councilors increases the percentage of selective waste collection by 2.18 percentage points and the total tonnage of selective waste by 447.86. At the same time it reduces the amount of non-selective waste collection by 491.22 tonnes. The study comprises a number of sensitivity analyses for different model specifications, different definitions of dependent variables, different size of municipalities and different geographical areas., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

This study provides new insights into the relation between the size of the territorial units for which the provision of waste services is entrusted to external operators and their efficiency. The need for a deeper investigation of this relation arises from the fact that on the one hand, the European Union is pushing its Member States towards the adoption of laws aimed at ensuring competition for the market whenever competition in the market is possible; on the other, both the theoretical and the empirical literature cautions policymakers against the risks associated with contracting out. This problem is addressed here through an efficiency analysis of Italian municipalities in the organization of waste services. The stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) is applied to estimate efficiency scores for the municipalities. Then, a regression analysis is carried out to investigate the relation between the efficiency scores and the size of the municipality. This analysis has been carried out using data on a sample of 6,916 Italian municipalities (87.39% of the entire population) for the year 2019. The method adopted here can also support regulatory authorities in defining the size of the territorial units in which other types of local public service should be outsourced., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Sustainable waste management presents a critical global challenge, necessitating the development of strategies for waste reduction and enhanced recycling. This study explores the impact of pay-as-you-throw tariffs (PAYTT) on promoting sustainable urban waste management. Propensity score matching was employed to analyse data from 7583 Italian municipalities. The study assesses the effects of PAYTT on both total and unsorted urban waste and evaluates their influence on the quantity and quality of separate waste collection. The findings indicate that the implementation of PAYTT effectively aligns with EU waste hierarchy policies. Municipalities adopting PAYTT experience reduced total and unsorted waste generation, along with improved quantity and quality of separate waste collections. Consequently, PAYTT holds significant potential for widespread application throughout the EU, contributing to enhanced separate waste collection efforts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

• Results show that attitude and subjective norms significantly affect the intention to reduce food waste. • Results show that also relevant conflicting goals significantly affect the intention to reduce food waste. • The intention to reduce food waste negatively affects food waste behavior. Despite their generally negative attitude toward food waste, consumers often pursue goals that can inhibit their intention to reduce food waste. Identifying these goals that inhibit consumers' intention to reduce food waste is essential for the development of successful public policy and retail approaches designed to curb or reduce household food waste. First, we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews (N = 110) aimed at identifying the consumers' main goals conflicting with their attitude toward food waste. Four main conflicts emerged as relevant in consumers' minds: being a good provider , concerns over possible health risks , healthy diet , and saving money. We then ran a quantitative study on adult consumers (N = 163), aimed at testing an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model with the inclusion of such conflicting goals as additional predictors of the consumers' intention to reduce food waste. Both studies were conducted in Italy. Results show that three out of four conflicting goals – being a good provider , concerns over possible health risks , and healthy diet – together with attitude and subjective norms , significantly affect the intention to reduce food waste. In turn, the intention to reduce food waste negatively affects food waste behavior. This study contributes to research on food waste by identifying additional and previously neglected predictors of the intention to reduce food waste. In turn, these results provide evidence of the existence of other valuable entry points to use for the design of successful interventions aimed at reducing household food waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Economic efficiency of waste management companies has been analyzed. • The costs' partial elasticity is measured considering the separate collection rate. • Results show the existence of scale economies. • The population density strengths the cost advantages. This article analyzes the economic efficiency of waste management companies with the aim of verifying the existence of scale economies with respect to separate waste collection preceding reuse, recycling, and recovery. For this purpose, an approach based on partial elasticity is used for a group of companies providing waste management services throughout Italy. Results show that the greater the separate waste collection rate, the higher the total costs incurred by the analyzed companies; this relationship is non-linear since a rise in the separate waste collection rate increases total costs less than proportionally, which gives evidence for the existence of scale economies. The findings also reveal that such a cost advantage is strengthened by a positive interaction effect with population density. These results show that a significant increase in separate waste collection rate could be realized in an efficient way and, thus, without jeopardizing companies' economic sustainability, which is essential to continue ensuring such important services for the community. One of the main implications of these results concerns policy makers: considering the population density impact, working in certain territories can be more economically convenient for companies; thus, policy makers should support those firms that could be penalized by the contextual conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stratigraphic Unit 13 of Oscurusciuto Rockshelter (Ginosa, Taranto, Southern Italy) is a short Mousterian palimpsest representing the first stable occupation of the site soon after the deposition of a thick layer of tephra (Mt. Epomeo Green Tuff - Ischia datable around 55 kya BP). Different activities were identified by integrating the study of lithic finds, faunal remains, and the microarchaeology of combustion features. Additionally, geo-statistical analysis of these data has been carried out using a specifically designed geodatabase within a GIS platform. Our results produced an articulated picture of this Neanderthal site as a tripartite location made of spatially segregated and integrated activity areas. A hearths' alignment (parallel to the rockshelter wall) divides the settled area into an inner and outer part. The inner part, between the hearths and the shelter wall, displays an abrupt rarefaction of the anthropic finds and was interpreted as a possible sleeping/resting area. In the outer part, several multipurpose activity areas have been identified, mostly associated with the combustion features. The Northern sector of the settlement appears devoted particularly to lithic production (to a lesser degree, activities related with lithic tools use and faunal processing took place). In the Southern sector the main activities carried out represent more intensive production and use of lithic tools and the butchering and consumption of animal resources. Additionally, in this sector evidence of space maintenance behaviour (cleaning up of working areas and refuse dumping) has been attested. • A short-term palimpsest is analysed with a spatial and multidisciplinary approach. • Tripartite structure with spatially segregated and integrated activity areas. • Different kind of domestic activity areas related with hearths. • Possible sleeping/resting area. • Preventive maintenance: cleaning-up of working areas and refuses disposal behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]