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Recycling
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Sustainable Recycling of Municipal Solid Waste
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Sustainable Recycling of Municipal Solid Waste

A special issue of Recycling (ISSN 2313-4321).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 August 2023) | Viewed by 15336

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Giovanni De Feo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Industrial Engineering (DIIN), University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, SA, Italy
Interests: circular economy; environmental communication; life-cycle assessment; recycling; waste management; water and wastewater in ancient civilizations; water supply
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Carmen Ferrara

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Department of Industrial Engineering (DIIN), University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, SA, Italy
Interests: circular economy; life-cycle assessment; recycling; packaging; waste management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue ‘Sustainable Recycling of Municipal Solid Waste’ aims to collect valuable scientific contributions that discuss established or promising sustainable municipal solid waste (MSW) recycling processes. The contributions can be related to mechanical, chemical or combined recycling processes of MSW components, such as paper and cardboard, glass, plastics, aluminum, steel, etc. The authors’ approaches can be environmental, economic, social, or combined in light of the concept of sustainable development. Submissions may be related to separate collection of MSW and selection processes of MSW, or specific flows. Contributions discussing Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) are particularly encouraged; however, articles of a more sociological or economic nature may also be proposed. Submissions can even tackle environmental education or communication initiatives in the field of MSW recycling. Original research or review articles are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Giovanni De Feo
Dr. Carmen Ferrara
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Recycling is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • MSW
  • recycling
  • mechanical
  • chemical
  • economic
  • social
  • environmental

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 3126 KiB  
Article
A Study on the Influence and Mechanism of Temperature and Dosage on PCDD/Fs Adsorption via Coal-Based Activated Carbon
by Peiyue Wang, Jianwen Lai, Xiaoqing Lin, Xiaodong Li and Shuaixi Xu
Recycling 2023, 8(6), 98; https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling8060098 - 11 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1508
Abstract
Using a trace polychlorinated-ρ-dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) stabilizing generator, an experimental study related to the influence of temperature (150, 165, and 180 °C) and activated carbon (AC) dosage (0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 g) on the adsorption effect of gas-phase PCDD/Fs via coal-based AC [...] Read more.
Using a trace polychlorinated-ρ-dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) stabilizing generator, an experimental study related to the influence of temperature (150, 165, and 180 °C) and activated carbon (AC) dosage (0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 g) on the adsorption effect of gas-phase PCDD/Fs via coal-based AC was conducted. Increasing the AC dosage is the most efficient method to improve the PCDD/Fs adsorption efficiency from 65.8% (0.10 g) to 93.0% (0.20 g) at 150 °C in an exponential trend. Both the polychlorinated-ρ-dibenzodioxins (PCDD)/polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) ratio and the Cl-PCDD/Fs value showed positive correlations, with the AC dosage under the same temperature. Increasing adsorption temperature declined the adsorption capacity of AC, resulting in the exponentially decreased average I-TEQ value adsorbed per gram of AC, from 131.3 ng TEQ/Nm3 (150 °C) to 55.9 ng TEQ/Nm3 (180 °C). The coal-based AC used in this study preferred to adsorb lower chlorinated PCDD/Fs, tetrachlorianted dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofurans (TCDD/Fs), and pentachlorianted dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofurans (PeCDD/Fs) than highly chlorinated PCDD/Fs, heptachlorianted dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofurans (HpCDD/Fs), hexachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofurans (HxCDD/Fs), and octachlorianted dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofurans (OCDD/Fs), which was aggravated by the increasing temperature. The characterization of the surface properties of AC revealed that slight oxidation occurred on the AC surface during the adsorption process, introducing oxygen to the competitive adsorption. In addition, it was found in this study that an increased temperature led to a higher content of hydrophilic carboxyl and anhydride groups and weakened π-π interactions, which were also partly responsible for the negative impact of the increasing temperature on the AC adsorption capacity. The results of this study can contribute to the operation optimization for controlling PCDD/F emissions from municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Recycling of Municipal Solid Waste)
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18 pages, 11511 KiB  
Article
Assessing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Energy Efficiency of Four Treatment Methods for Sustainable Food Waste Management
by Xiaoming Liu, Si Li, Wenhao Chen, Huizhou Yuan, Yiguan Ma, Muhammad Ahmar Siddiqui and Asad Iqbal
Recycling 2023, 8(5), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling8050066 - 27 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1904
Abstract
Food waste (FW) increases with urbanization and population growth, which puts pressure on the treatment system, causing a variety of harmful impacts on the environment. Proper FW treatment is imperative for ecological integrity and public health. Even though FW treatment is an extensively [...] Read more.
Food waste (FW) increases with urbanization and population growth, which puts pressure on the treatment system, causing a variety of harmful impacts on the environment. Proper FW treatment is imperative for ecological integrity and public health. Even though FW treatment is an extensively studied topic, the sustainable FW treatment considering holistic-lifecycle-based environmental impacts has rarely been evaluated. This study addresses this gap through a comprehensive analysis of various FW treatment methods, including co-treatment with sewage, anaerobic digestion, incineration, and aerobic composting. The impacts of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and energy use efficiency are assessed by analyzing diverse FW treatment methods in Shenzhen, China. The study indicates that FW addition to sewage does not adversely affect the current sewage treatment plant, but benefits GHG avoidance and energy recovery. Compared with the other FW treatment methods, FW anaerobic digestion avoids the most GHG emissions with −71.3 kg CO2 eq/FU and recovers the most energy with −223 kWh/FU, followed by FW co-treated with sewage. The energy conversion efficiency of the combined heat and power (CHP) unit greatly affects FW incineration, while energy consumption in incineration and anaerobic digestion (AD) process is relatively minor. Perturbation analysis pinpoints key parameters influencing outcomes, including CHP efficiency, GHG emission factor of local electricity, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in FW with ratios of −13~−0.942, −0.518~0.22, and −13~1.01, respectively, that should be given special attention. This study sheds light on sustainable FW management strategies, not only in China but also transferrable to regions confronting similar challenges. Advocating ecologically balanced and resource-efficient approaches, the study aligns with broader aims of fostering sustainable development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Recycling of Municipal Solid Waste)
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17 pages, 1428 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Biogas Energy from Co-Digestion of Organic Urban Solid Waste with Lime Mud
by Ulisses Raad da Silva Coelho, Adriele Maria de Cássia Crispim, Maria Auxiliadora de Barros Martins, Regina Mambeli Barros, Maria Luiza Grillo Reno, Geraldo Lúcio Tiago Filho and Ivan Felipe Silva Santos
Recycling 2023, 8(4), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling8040057 - 01 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1770
Abstract
The elevated presence of organic material in Brazilian urban solid waste, along with mismanagement of its disposal, can aggravate environmental problems from greenhouse gas emissions to water and soil pollution. In parallel, the paper and cellulose industries consume considerable resources and produce important [...] Read more.
The elevated presence of organic material in Brazilian urban solid waste, along with mismanagement of its disposal, can aggravate environmental problems from greenhouse gas emissions to water and soil pollution. In parallel, the paper and cellulose industries consume considerable resources and produce important solid wastes, including lime mud. These urban and industrial realities present common ground, from which a little-studied alternative arises in using biogas electrical energy from the co-digestion of the organic portion of urban solid waste using lime mud. This intersection can reduce the environmental impacts associated with inadequate management and disposal of solid waste, providing industry financial economy resources and contributing to Brazilian energy grid diversification. The current study used economic–financial indicators to evaluate the proposal’s economic feasibility. The obtained results presented a minimum population of 165,200 inhabitants, generating 39,295.77 m3/year of methane, in order to enable a co-digestion proposal. The sensitivity analysis indicated that a population of 185,500 inhabitants would provide a 10-year payback, an energy rate of USD 0.139, and 44,124.49 m3/year of methane to supply the population with power. The net present value was USD 23,336.94, with an internal return rate of 14.71% and a levelized energy cost of 0.103 USD/kWh. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Recycling of Municipal Solid Waste)
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17 pages, 837 KiB  
Article
Attitude Is Not Enough to Separate Solid Waste at Home in Lima
by Christiam Méndez-Lazarte, Victor W. Bohorquez-Lopez, Carlos Caycho-Chumpitaz and Alfredo Estrada-Merino
Recycling 2023, 8(2), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling8020036 - 13 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2748
Abstract
Facilitating solid waste separating behavior at home continues to be a challenge for municipal programs in emerging economies. Large cities concentrate the generation of solid waste and, in Latin America, a great percentage of this waste is not re-used. Therefore, in this research, [...] Read more.
Facilitating solid waste separating behavior at home continues to be a challenge for municipal programs in emerging economies. Large cities concentrate the generation of solid waste and, in Latin America, a great percentage of this waste is not re-used. Therefore, in this research, we explore the drivers motivating solid waste separation at home in Lima. We applied 450 surveys in two municipalities of Lima and analyzed the results through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results demonstrate that attitude, perception of technical knowledge, and availability of physical space influence solid waste separation behavior. Additionally, the mediating role of intention between solid waste separation attitude and behavior is demonstrated. Municipal solid waste recycling programs in emerging economies tend to focus on educational and motivational actions, without giving due importance to space at home in order to manage solid waste. The lack of urban equipment and the limited availability of space at home introduce barriers that limit solid waste separating behaviors in emerging economies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Recycling of Municipal Solid Waste)
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14 pages, 1836 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Sorting Efficiency of Plastic Packaging Waste in an Italian Material Recovery Facility: Current and Upgraded Configuration
by Giovanni Gadaleta, Sabino De Gisi, Francesco Todaro, Giuseppe D’Alessandro, Silvio Binetti and Michele Notarnicola
Recycling 2023, 8(1), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling8010025 - 12 Feb 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2839
Abstract
The first step in reintroducing plastic waste into the recycling cycle is to use material recovery facilities (MRFs). However, while the composition and types of plastic waste are changing over time, the layout of MRFs does not always adapt to this change. In [...] Read more.
The first step in reintroducing plastic waste into the recycling cycle is to use material recovery facilities (MRFs). However, while the composition and types of plastic waste are changing over time, the layout of MRFs does not always adapt to this change. In this paper, an existing MRF in Southern Italy was chosen as a reference to evaluate its current performance and to estimate possible improvements in sorting through a specific upgrade. First, an analysis of the amount, composition, and sources (in terms of type of waste and distance from the MRF) of the input waste was conducted. The composition of the input waste was then compared with the amount of selected output waste streams in order to calculate the current sorting efficiency of each stream and compare it with the values obtained from the upgrade. Lastly, the current performance of the plant was compared with a previous assessment of the same MRF in order to highlight possible variation. Results showed how the incoming waste was mainly composed of packaging plastic waste, and that some plastic waste not yet selected by the plant ended up in specific output streams. Therefore, the current performance of the MRF resulted high for PET and PE bottles (80.2% and 92.8%, respectively), in contrast to mixed or flexible packaging, where the efficiency achieved lower values (55–50%). These values were caused by a weakness in the 2D flow sorting line, which the upgrade mostly addressed. The upgraded configuration increased the production of recyclable waste from 34.32% to 50.39%, especially due to the recovery of small flexible packaging films in PE and biopolymers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Recycling of Municipal Solid Waste)
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13 pages, 698 KiB  
Article
Potential Analysis of the Plastics Value Chain for Enhanced Recycling Rates: A Case Study in Iceland
by Moritz Mager, Ines Traxler, Joerg Fischer and David C. Finger
Recycling 2022, 7(5), 73; https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling7050073 - 09 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3417
Abstract
In light of the circular economy gaining momentum, plastics recycling is regarded as a key solution to keep materials in the loop. Continuous efforts are needed to achieve the packaging waste recycling targets set by the European Union. Hence, this work evaluates the [...] Read more.
In light of the circular economy gaining momentum, plastics recycling is regarded as a key solution to keep materials in the loop. Continuous efforts are needed to achieve the packaging waste recycling targets set by the European Union. Hence, this work evaluates the potential of the Icelandic plastics value chain for enhanced recycling rates. In addition to identifying the main challenges and opportunities, a feasibility study was conducted on the expansion of the deposit-return system to Skyr cups, allowing for closed-loop solutions. Based on the status quo, proposals for the improvement of the current waste and recycling system are made. Insights were acquired by semi-structured interviews with nine key stakeholders in Iceland, representing vital groups that influence the plastics value chain. The obtained answers followed the same trend, pointing out that a circular economy within the boundaries of Iceland is currently not feasible. This is mainly due to the strong dependence on international partners in all parts of the value chain except waste collection. However, major improvements are required to enhance the current waste collection rate of 28%. No conclusive evidence was found to justify the suitability of Skyr cups for the deposit-return system, as the disadvantages outweigh theoretically higher collection and recycling rates. Moreover, the extended producer responsibility scheme implemented with the Icelandic Recycling Fund is a valuable tool to enforce a design for recycling of products, enabling higher recycling rates. Despite one recycler operating in Iceland, Icelandic stakeholders consider sorting and treatment of mixed plastic waste as economically more efficient by collaborating with experts throughout Europe. Therefore, they expect that the current practice of exporting the majority of the domestic waste will prevail. On the contrary, the authors propose a comprehensive waste treatment and recycling scheme within Iceland, which requires a sorting step prior to three possible pathways, being (1) mechanical recycling, (2) alternative fuel, and (3) waste-to-energy. The aim of the proposed scheme is a reduction in greenhouse gas impact of plastics entering the waste stage by an efficient and flexible design of the relevant technologies within Iceland. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Recycling of Municipal Solid Waste)
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