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Sustainable Waste Management and Recovery

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Waste and Recycling".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 9 July 2025 | Viewed by 11281

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Marcelo Henrique Otênio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Embrapa Dairy Cattle, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Juiz de Fora 36038-330, Brazil
Interests: environmental sciences; biogas; biomass; management of agricultural waste; bioprocess; bioproducts; water resources; environmental management
Dr. Juliana Alves Resende

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacy and Nutrition, CCENS, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Campus Alegre Alto Universitário, s.n. Office 2 Alegre, Alegre 29500-000, ES, Brazil
Interests: environmental microbiology; antibiotic resistance bacteria; resistance genes; microbial pathogenesis; anaerobic digestion; biogas production
Dr. Alberto Delgado Dos Reis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, Amadora, Portugal
Interests: bioenergy; biorefineries; bioeconomy; microalgal biotechnology; biofuels; wastewater treatment; GHG; biological mitigation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue proposes to address six crucial research areas for innovation and sustainability in waste management. Firstly, it explores the potential of innovative biomasses derived from industrial and agricultural waste as new sources for bioenergy generation, along with novel bioprocesses. It then focuses on the management of agricultural and industrial waste as a subject of One Health studies, considering both pollutant emissions and processes for minimization and risk assessment for human, animal, and environmental health, integrating chemistry, physics, and biology.

The third aspect addressed is the environmental impact of managing waste from various productive chains, agricultural and industrial alike, examining greenhouse gas emissions and identifying limitations regarding the exploitation of natural and fossil resources. This has implications for the presence of emerging pollutants and micropollutants (fourth point), released by agricultural and industrial practices into diverse environments—aquatic, terrestrial, and aerial—raising environmental and public health concerns.

The fifth aspect delves into the circular economy and bioeconomy for natural resources and their management, emphasizing water conservation, contamination reduction, and the benefits of employing clean energy generation processes. Lastly, attention is drawn to the health aspect of One Health in production processes, investigating physicochemical characteristics, antimicrobial resistance, and biofilm formation, highlighting challenges for food safety and public health related to the persistence and potential resistance of microorganisms and chemicals generated across various value chains.

Dr. Marcelo Henrique Otênio
Dr. Juliana Alves Resende
Dr. Alberto Delgado Dos Reis
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. Sustainability 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 2400 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

  • waste management
  • bioprocesses
  • new biomass
  • environmental impact
  • emerging pollutants
  • micropollutants
  • circular economy
  • one health concept

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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33 pages, 5583 KiB  
Article
Bibliometric and Co-Occurrence Study of the Production of Bioethanol and Hydrogen from African Palm Rachis (2003–2023)
by Luis Ángel Castillo-Gracia, Néstor Andrés Urbina-Suarez and Ángel Darío González-Delgado
Sustainability 2025, 17(1), 146; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17010146 - 27 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1052
Abstract
Today, the world is increasingly concerned about energy and environmental challenges, and the search for renewable energy sources has become an unavoidable priority. In this context, Elaeis guineensis (better known as the African oil palm) has been placed in the spotlight due to [...] Read more.
Today, the world is increasingly concerned about energy and environmental challenges, and the search for renewable energy sources has become an unavoidable priority. In this context, Elaeis guineensis (better known as the African oil palm) has been placed in the spotlight due to its great potential and specific characteristics for the production of alternative fuels in the search for sustainable energy solutions. In the present study, bibliometric and co-occurrence analyses are proposed to identify trends, gaps, future directions, and challenges related to the production of bioethanol and hydrogen from oil palm rachis, using VOSviewer v.1.6.20 as a tool to analyze data obtained from SCOPUS. A mapping of several topics related to bioethanol and hydrogen production from oil palm bagasse or rachis is provided, resulting in contributions to the topic under review. It is shown that research is trending towards the use of oil palm rachis as a raw material for hydrogen production, consolidating its position as a promising renewable energy source. The field of hydrogen production from renewable sources has undergone constant evolution, and it is expected to continue growing and playing a significant role in the transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy sources, potentially involving the adoption of innovative technologies such as solar-powered steam generation. From an economic point of view, developing a circular economy approach to bioethanol and hydrogen production from oil palm rachis and waste management will require innovations in material design, recycling technologies, and the development of effective life cycle strategies that can be evaluated through computer-assisted process simulation. Additionally, the extraction and purification of other gases during the dark fermentation method contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and minimizing energy consumption. Ultimately, the sustainability assessment of bioethanol production processes is crucial, employing various methodologies such as life cycle assessment (LCA), techno-economic analysis, techno-economic resilience, and environmental risk assessment (ERA). This research is original in that it evaluates not only the behavior of the scientific community on these topics over the past 20 years but also examines a less-studied biofuel, namely bioethanol. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management and Recovery)
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10 pages, 3781 KiB  
Article
Reduced Manure Treatment Needs with Compost-Bedded Pack Systems in Dairy Cows
by Kellen R. Oliveira, Marcelo S. Rodrigues, Luís H. R. Silva, Poliana T. R. Salgado, Alex L. Silva and Polyana P. Rotta
Sustainability 2024, 16(23), 10408; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162310408 - 27 Nov 2024
Viewed by 897
Abstract
The compost-bedded pack (CBP) system offers a sustainable solution for dairy farms by enhancing cow welfare and health while promoting environmental sustainability and improving manure management for agricultural reuse. This study aimed to evaluate the reduction in manure treatment required for agricultural use [...] Read more.
The compost-bedded pack (CBP) system offers a sustainable solution for dairy farms by enhancing cow welfare and health while promoting environmental sustainability and improving manure management for agricultural reuse. This study aimed to evaluate the reduction in manure treatment required for agricultural use by analyzing manure excretion patterns in lactating cows. We compared seven Holstein and six Holstein × Gyr cows, divided into two CBP groups, and monitored their feces and urine behaviors over a 48 h period. Manure excretion was recorded across four farm areas: (1) feeding area, (2) resting area (composted bed), (3) path to the milking parlor, and (4) milking parlor. Both breeds predominantly excreted feces (45.03%) and urine (54.18%) in the resting area, which facilitated composting directly in the bedding. This resulted in a significant reduction in nitrogen requiring treatment, averaging 76.8–85.3 g per cow per day, accounting for 44–49% of total nitrogen excretion. The CBP system demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing environmental impact by minimizing nitrogen loss through volatilization and leaching, while also enhancing nutrient recycle in agriculture. These findings emphasize the CBP system’s role in foresting sustainable dairy farming and environmentally friendly agricultural practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management and Recovery)
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20 pages, 1661 KiB  
Article
Valorization and Bioremediation of Digestate from Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Giant Reed (Arundo donax L.) and Cattle Wastewater Using Microalgae
by Guilherme Henrique da Silva, Natália dos Santos Renato, Alisson Carraro Borges, Marcio Arêdes Martins, Alberto José Delgado dos Reis and Marcelo Henrique Otenio
Sustainability 2024, 16(23), 10328; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162310328 - 26 Nov 2024
Viewed by 770
Abstract
Anaerobic digestion followed by microalgal cultivation is considered a promising renewable alternative for the production of biomethane with reduced effluent generation, thus lowering the environmental impact. In this arrangement, in addition to generating energy, the microalgae act by potentiating the refinement of the [...] Read more.
Anaerobic digestion followed by microalgal cultivation is considered a promising renewable alternative for the production of biomethane with reduced effluent generation, thus lowering the environmental impact. In this arrangement, in addition to generating energy, the microalgae act by potentiating the refinement of the effluents generated via anaerobic digestion (digestates). In this study, the microalga Tetradesmus obliquus was cultivated in photobioreactors with the final digestate resulting from the co-digestion of Arundo donax L. plant biomass and cattle wastewater. The biotechnological route used was efficient, and the biogas production ranged from 50.20 to 94.69 mL gVS−1. The first-order kinetic model with variable dependence (FOMT) provided the best fit for the biogas production data. In the microalgal post-treatment, the removal values ranged from 81.5 to 93.8% for the chemical oxygen demand, 92.0 to 95.3% for NH4+-N, and 41.7 to 83.3% for PO43− after 26 days. The macromolecular composition of the algal biomass reached lipid contents ranging from 33.4 to 42.7%. Thus, the proposed process mediated by microalgae can be considered promising for the bioremediation and recovery of effluents produced by agriculture through the use of microalgal biomass for bioproduct production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management and Recovery)
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14 pages, 963 KiB  
Article
Integrated Assessment of Methane Production from the Co-Digestion of Swine Wastewater and Other Organic Wastes
by Izabelle de Paula Sousa, André Pereira Rosa, Guilherme Kurtemback Almeida, Dilson Novais Rocha, Thiago de Alencar Neves and Alisson Carraro Borges
Sustainability 2024, 16(14), 5938; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16145938 - 12 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1327
Abstract
The study aimed to evaluate and compare the co-digestion of swine wastewater (SW) and other co-substrates: grass residue (GR), food waste (FW), and poultry litter (PL). The comparisons were performed using the biochemical methane potential (BMP) test. The maximum accumulated methane (CH4 [...] Read more.
The study aimed to evaluate and compare the co-digestion of swine wastewater (SW) and other co-substrates: grass residue (GR), food waste (FW), and poultry litter (PL). The comparisons were performed using the biochemical methane potential (BMP) test. The maximum accumulated methane (CH4) production was submitted to a joint analysis of variance. Tukey’s test (α = 0.05) was used to compare the results of the treatments, and Dunnett’s test (α = 0.05) was used to compare the ratios (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100) (based on volatile solids—VS). In addition, both the synergistic effect and kinetic adjustment of some models were evaluated. The results indicated that the co-digestion of all substrates (GR, FW, and PL) with SW improved the methane production yield in comparison with mono-digestion (GR, FW, and PL). A positive synergistic effect was observed for the FW:SW (25:75 and 75:25). According to both Tukey’s and Dunnett’s tests (α = 0.05), the FW:SW ratio of 25:75 did not show statistical difference compared with the mono-digestion (SW), which exhibited the largest CH4 production. Among the models evaluated, the modified Gompertz function presented the best fit. For the co-digestion treatments, the ratio of FW:SW of 25:75 exhibited the most promising potential for integrated management, demonstrating the best synergistic effect among the substrates. In this context, methane production from co-digestion equalled that of mono-digestion, while enabling integrated residue management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management and Recovery)
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17 pages, 3054 KiB  
Article
Development of a System Suitable for an Apartment Complex for the Collective Recovery of Solid Resources from Food Waste: A Study on South Korea
by Yong-Woo Jeon
Sustainability 2024, 16(13), 5665; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135665 - 2 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1568
Abstract
The installation of food waste disposers has been prohibited in South Korea, due to conflicts with governmental policies that are focused on resource recovery from food waste and concerns about potential damage to the city’s sewer system. However, there is a growing demand [...] Read more.
The installation of food waste disposers has been prohibited in South Korea, due to conflicts with governmental policies that are focused on resource recovery from food waste and concerns about potential damage to the city’s sewer system. However, there is a growing demand for such systems in the country. This study proposes a system for the collective recovery of solid resources from food waste tailored for apartment complexes in South Korea, using an innovative solid–liquid separation technology. In the pilot experiment, 49.60% of the solids fed into the system were recovered as solid matter, confirming its practical applicability. Ultimately, a solid resource collective recovery system suitable for the high-rise apartment residence style of South Korea was developed and applied to an actual apartment complex. The final-stage solids were discharged from the system and processed through bio-drying, subsequently exhibiting a combustible material content of 67.06%, higher heating value (HHV) of 4843 kcal/kg, and lower heating value (LHV) of 3759 kcal/kg; moreover, they have the potential to be repurposed as biomass–solid refuse fuel (bio-SFR), compost, feed, and substrate for biogas production. The proposed food waste disposal system not only aligns with governmental policies, but also facilitates the recovery of high-quality resources from food waste, while providing a sustainable waste management solution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management and Recovery)
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36 pages, 980 KiB  
Systematic Review
Citizens’ Attitudes and Practices Towards Waste Reduction, Separation, and Recycling: A Systematic Review
by Anna Konstantinidou, Konstantinos Ioannou, Georgios Tsantopoulos and Garyfallos Arabatzis
Sustainability 2024, 16(22), 9969; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16229969 - 15 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4333
Abstract
The aim of this systematic review is to analyze the attitudes and practices adopted by citizens in waste reduction, separation, and recycling, taking into consideration specific socio-demographic factors such as gender, age, income level, and level of education that might have an influence [...] Read more.
The aim of this systematic review is to analyze the attitudes and practices adopted by citizens in waste reduction, separation, and recycling, taking into consideration specific socio-demographic factors such as gender, age, income level, and level of education that might have an influence on these practices. The study was based on an extensive review of published articles found in Scopus. In total 27 articles were selected for analysis after filtering and evaluation based on a series of predefined criteria set for the present review, such as time period, geographical coverage, and thematic relevance. Many studies have shown that women, compared to men, in addition to being more aware, adopted more frequently recycling practices. Furthermore, age emerged as a very important factor, as younger citizens were more actively involved and at the same time more willing to recycle waste compared to older citizens. Additionally, education level proved to be a decisive factor, as citizens with higher educational levels possessed greater knowledge regarding recycling and, at the same time, had more environmentally conscious awareness about environmental problems. This resulted in citizens being more involved in various recycling practices. Finally, income proved to be an equally important factor in both shaping recycling attitudes and practices. It turned out that people who received higher incomes had more opportunities and resources for participating in pro-environmental activities. However, some studies have shown opposite results where the effect of income on waste separation practices was either not statistically significant or negative. Finally, from the research, it was clear that there is a need to incorporate environmental issues into educational programs and information campaigns. All these should be tailored to the needs of the socio-demographic groups targeted and at the same time be concerned with promoting best recycling practices as well as waste reduction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management and Recovery)
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