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Waste-to-Resource Pathways and Exchanges in Industrial Symbiosis and Small- and Medium-Sized Companies—Recent Trends on Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 April 2023) | Viewed by 5090

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Volker Wohlgemuth

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Engineering - Technology and Life, University of Applied Sciences HTW Berlin, 10318 Berlin, Germany
Interests: environmental informatics; material flow management; modeling and simulation; development of business environmental information systems (BUIS)
Martina Willenbacher

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Institute of Environmental Communication, Leuphana University Lueneburg, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany
Interests: artificial intelligence and neural networks; cognitive sciences; environmental informatics
Anna Rohde-Lütje

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Institute of Environmental Communication, Leuphana University Lueneburg, 21335 Lüneburg, Germany
Interests: life cycle engineering; corporate sustainability management; industrial symbiosis; circularity

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue presents a summary of the current research on waste-to-resource productivity with ICT. It includes selected papers to give some innovative answers that are relevant to these topics.

Due to the immense amount of waste generated by an ever-increasing world population and the progressive growth of the global economy, there is an increased need for action to convert waste, as a resource, into raw materials for new products. IT support for data analysis, modeling and simulation, evaluation, and forecasting, as well as the identification of optimization potentials in the closure of material and energy flows, is of crucial importance. This Special Issue addresses innovative technologies and systematic procedures for waste-to-resource issues with a focus on industrial symbioses as well as small- and medium-sized enterprises, as these institutions have a large influence on the use of resources and the production-related generation of waste.

This Special Issue is under the motto “Waste-to-Resource Pathways and Exchanges in Industrial Symbiosis and Small- and Medium-Sized Companies”, and focuses on the following topics:

  • Use cases for environmental informatics with reference to a circular economy and waste management.
  • Transition of waste management to a circular economy with ICT.
  • ICT for closing loops in material and energy flows.
  • Material flow management, life cycle analysis, and exploitation chains for waste management.
  • IT solutions for reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling.
  • AI in resource efficiency.
  • Urban mining.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Volker Wohlgemuth
Guest Editor

Martina Willenbacher
Anna Rohde-Lütje
Guest Editor Assistants

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

  • environmental informatics
  • circular economy
  • industrial symbosys
  • energy and resource efficiency

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 7891 KiB  
Article
Plastic Waste Valorization for Fused Deposition Modeling Feedstock: A Case Study on Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate/High-Density Polyethylene Sustainability
by Amira Ragab, Rana Elazhary, Siegfried Schmauder and Amna Ramzy
Sustainability 2023, 15(18), 13291; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813291 - 5 Sep 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2151
Abstract
In this study, material development, characterization, and sustainability assessment are performed on blends from recycled post-consumer commodity plastics for fused deposition modeling (FDM) filament extrusion. A recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) and high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) blend 80:20 ratio is modified using three different methods: [...] Read more.
In this study, material development, characterization, and sustainability assessment are performed on blends from recycled post-consumer commodity plastics for fused deposition modeling (FDM) filament extrusion. A recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) and high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) blend 80:20 ratio is modified using three different methods: compatibilization with Maleic Anhydride, surface functionalization of PET with sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), and hybridization by combination of the two methods which is a novel approach. The selected blends were reinforced with chopped glass fibers and characterized. The printability of blends was assessed, and the dimensional accuracy of the prints was calculated. In addition, a cost estimation and comparison between the developed blends and the commercially available FDM filaments was carried out. Finally, life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted for each prepared blend to facilitate the decision of the optimum blend in relation to mechanical properties and environmental performance and hence correlate the material, economic, and sustainability advantages. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Waste-to-Resource Pathways and Exchanges in Industrial Symbiosis and Small- and Medium-Sized Companies—Recent Trends on Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy)
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Other

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25 pages, 2360 KiB  
Hypothesis
The Industrialisation of Sustainable Construction: A Transdisciplinary Approach to the Large-Scale Introduction of Compacted Mineral Mixtures (CMMs) into Building Construction
by Michael Max Bühler, Pia Hollenbach, Alexander Michalski, Sonja Meyer, Emanuel Birle, Rebecca Off, Christina Lang, Wolfram Schmidt, Roberto Cudmani, Oliver Fritz, Guido Baltes and Geraldine Kortmann
Sustainability 2023, 15(13), 10677; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310677 - 6 Jul 2023
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2485
Abstract
Increasing demand for sustainable, resilient, and low-carbon construction materials has highlighted the potential of Compacted Mineral Mixtures (CMMs), which are formulated from various soil types (sand, silt, clay) and recycled mineral waste. This paper presents a comprehensive inter- and transdisciplinary research concept that [...] Read more.
Increasing demand for sustainable, resilient, and low-carbon construction materials has highlighted the potential of Compacted Mineral Mixtures (CMMs), which are formulated from various soil types (sand, silt, clay) and recycled mineral waste. This paper presents a comprehensive inter- and transdisciplinary research concept that aims to industrialise and scale up the adoption of CMM-based construction materials and methods, thereby accelerating the construction industry’s systemic transition towards carbon neutrality. By drawing upon the latest advances in soil mechanics, rheology, and automation, we propose the development of a robust material properties database to inform the design and application of CMM-based materials, taking into account their complex, time-dependent behaviour. Advanced soil mechanical tests would be utilised to ensure optimal performance under various loading and ageing conditions. This research has also recognised the importance of context-specific strategies for CMM adoption. We have explored the implications and limitations of implementing the proposed framework in developing countries, particularly where resources may be constrained. We aim to shed light on socio-economic and regulatory aspects that could influence the adoption of these sustainable construction methods. The proposed concept explores how the automated production of CMM-based wall elements can become a fast, competitive, emission-free, and recyclable alternative to traditional masonry and concrete construction techniques. We advocate for the integration of open-source digital platform technologies to enhance data accessibility, processing, and knowledge acquisition; to boost confidence in CMM-based technologies; and to catalyse their widespread adoption. We believe that the transformative potential of this research necessitates a blend of basic and applied investigation using a comprehensive, holistic, and transfer-oriented methodology. Thus, this paper serves to highlight the viability and multiple benefits of CMMs in construction, emphasising their pivotal role in advancing sustainable development and resilience in the built environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Waste-to-Resource Pathways and Exchanges in Industrial Symbiosis and Small- and Medium-Sized Companies—Recent Trends on Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy)
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