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Latest Research on Sustainable Material Performance and Circular Economy

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 2626

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, 67 Prof. D. Mangeron Blvd., 700050 Iasi, Romania
Interests: eco-friendly materials; circular economy; recycling minerals; geopolymers; concrete
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

At present, there is continuous concern for the development of eco-friendly products, as substitutes for conventional ones, that do not use virgin raw materials. Therefore, new innovative materials are being developed and validated that can promote the integration of circular economy principles in different industries. The unique advantages of employing waste as a raw material, in terms of the environment and economy, have promoted this change. However, due to the high diversity of wastes and their intrinsic differences compared to virgin sources, the validation of these green products and their use are still limited. Moreover, some of the main challenges in this field are the standardization of preparation processes and the reduction of costs.

This Special Issue aims to bring together the latest research in the development of sustainable materials and the integration of circular economy principles in different industries.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

  • Innovative materials that use waste or industrial by-products as raw materials;
  • Life cycle assessment;
  • Integration of the circular economy in different industries;
  • Synthesis and characterization of green materials;
  • Use and reuse of innovative products that use wastes as raw materials;
  • Eco-friendly materials for additive manufacturing;
  • Processing and applications of eco-friendly materials.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Dr. Dumitru Doru Burduhos Nergis
Guest Editor

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 recycling
  • circular economy
  • green materials
  • eco-friendly materials
  • life cycle assessment

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

20 pages, 2188 KiB  
Article
Key Factors Influencing Consumer Choices in Wood-Based Recycled Products for Circular Construction Sector
by Geanina Maria David, Elena Simina Lakatos, Laura Bacali, Gheorghe Daniel Lakatos, Brianna Alexandra Danu, Lucian-Ionel Cioca and Elena Cristina Rada
Sustainability 2024, 16(20), 8767; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16208767 - 10 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1876
Abstract
This article explores the integration of wood recycling and reuse practices within construction and reconstruction processes, as highlighted in a wood products questionnaire. The aim of this study is to understand how the Romanian consumers perceive the circular economy in order to adopt [...] Read more.
This article explores the integration of wood recycling and reuse practices within construction and reconstruction processes, as highlighted in a wood products questionnaire. The aim of this study is to understand how the Romanian consumers perceive the circular economy in order to adopt responsible consumption models. The working instrument consisted of a questionnaire. The questionnaire was applied to 60.7% urban respondents and 39.3% rural ones and consisted of 23 items. The response rate was 68.5% for certain items (257 responses). In the first part, the integration of wood recycling and reuse practices within construction and reconstruction processes is examined. Emerging recycling techniques and demolition processes, particularly incorporating reused, reconditioned, and recycled wood in the construction industry, are evaluated. The economic and environmental implications of these practices are also examined, contributing to the discussion of eco-design policies, and construction waste management and standards. In the second part, insights are provided into how Romanian consumers’ knowledge of CE principles, information about product characteristics, and attitudes influence the demand for recycled wood products. The study concludes with recommendations for better promotion strategies of wood-based recycled products, aiming to increase awareness of its long-term environmental and socio-economic benefits. Additionally, it suggests the need for providing more information on the environmental benefits of wood-based recycled products, and for a more active engagement of stakeholders in the transition to a circular economy. The results serve as a basis for a better understanding of Romanian consumers’ adoption of sustainable consumption behavior in agreement with circular economy concepts and SDGs. While the majority of respondents generally shows openness to an eco-friendly product, mere promotion of these principles may not suffice to change entrenched behaviors and purchasing habits. Full article
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