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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2021) | Viewed by 65693

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jutta Gutberlet

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Guest Editor

Department of Geography, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3060, STNCSC, Victoria, BC V8W 3R4, Canada
Interests: community-based research; sustainability; waste management; recycling; waste governance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Sayed Mohammad Nazim Uddin

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Guest Editor

Environmental Sciences, Asian University for Women, 20/A, M M Ali Road, Chittagong, Bangladesh
Interests: wastewater/greywater treatment and management; global water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), environmental health; solid waste management; sustainable sanitation; resource and energy recovery; community-based research; water resources management; and disaster/hazard risk reduction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Building sustainability is a major current concern in times of climate change, environmental degradation and growing poverty, which requires unprecedented collaboration between civil society, government and business. Waste is a core sustainability challenge, and decisions regarding which practices or technologies to apply can have beneficial or detrimental long-term consequences. Global annual solid waste generation is projected to reach 3.4 billion tones over the next three decades, and it is critical for environmental and human health to act now and manage our waste in sustainable ways. Grassroots practices can make a substantial contribution to developing new technologies, approaches and models in waste management. Bottom-up organizations and networks in waste management (e.g. community based organizations, cooperatives, associations, unions, social enterprises) can forge a new conceptualization of the public and its role in service delivery and environmental protection. Seyfang and Smith (2007: 585) “use the term ‘grassroots innovations’ to describe networks of activists and organisations generating novel bottom up solutions for sustainable development; solutions that respond to the local situation and the interests and values of the communities involved”. We understand grassroots social innovations as bottom-up, democratic processes, actively engaging community members in the design, development or production of an innovation (which can be a technology, strategy or management practice), benefitting the public and bringing social change, approved and owned by the grassroots. Here grassroots take the form of community-based initiatives that emerge in a specific local context and explore alternative configurations in waste management. This Special Issue is particularly geared towards stimulating the debate on grassroots innovations making waste technology and management more sustainable. We encourage original articles on innovative waste collection and recycling models, good waste governance, role of wide range of different actors in waste management and governance, bottom-up circular economy models and any other grassroots innovation that makes waste management more sustainable. We welcome practical lessons or success stories on sustainable ways of dealing with waste, across various cities in different countries as well as theoretical discussions on grassroots innovations fostering sustainable waste technology and management.

Guiding references:

Azevedo, A.M.M.de; Carenzo, S.; Goodluck, C.; Gutberlet, J.; Kain, J.-H.; Oloko, M.O.; Pérez Reynosa, J.; Zapata, P.; Zapata Campos, M. J. (2018). Inclusive Waste Governance and Grassroots Innovations for Social, Environmental and Economic Change; Swedish Research Council (n° 2016-06289) and Canada Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (n° 890-2016-0098). In collaboration with WIEGO. ISBN 978-91-984547-3-4. http://www.wiego.org/reports/inclusive-waste-governance-and-grassroots-innovations-social-environmental-and-economic-chan

Gutberlet, J.; Carenzo, S.; Kain, J-H.; de Azevedo, A.M.M. Waste Picker Organizations and Their Contribution to the Circular Economy: Two Case Studies from a Global South Perspective. Resources 2017, 6, 1–12. www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/6/4/52/pdf

Seyfang, G.; Smith, A., Grassroots innovations for sustainable development: Towards a new research and policy agenda. Environ. Polit. 2007, 16, 584–603.

Smith, A.; Fressoli, M.; Abrol, D.; Around, E.; Ely, A. Grassroots Innovation Movements; Routledge: New York, NY, USA, 2016.

Prof. Dr. Jutta Gutberlet
Dr. Sayed Mohammad Nazim Uddin
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Grassroots innovation
Social innovation
Reuse, reduce, recycle
Zero waste
Composting
Transitions
Community action
Community based organization
Consumption and waste
Waste governance
Sustainable development
Waste and GIS
Public policy
LCA

Published Papers (14 papers)

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18 pages, 6704 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Potential Re-Use of Saudi Mine Tailings in Mine Backfill: A Path towards Sustainable Mining in Saudi Arabia

by Mohammed Hefni, Hussin A. M. Ahmed, Ebaa Shaikh Omar and Maaz A. Ali

Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6204; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116204 - 31 May 2021

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4338

Abstract

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia covers an area of approximately 2 million km² and is rich in natural resources that are necessary for industrial development. The estimated mineral wealth beneath the Kingdom’s soil is approximately USD 1.33 trillion, as reported by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources. The Kingdom’s vision for 2030 is to develop the mining sector to become the third pillar of the domestic economy. Therefore, exploration and mining activities are expected to accelerate over the next decade, which will lead to increased waste production. New executive regulations issued in January 2021 contain several sustainable elements related to the environment, social responsibility, and occupational health and safety. Therefore, this study aims to promote an example of sustainable mining activities in the Kingdom that could be adapted to meet the regulatory requirements. Cemented paste backfill samples of varying composition were made with waste materials from a Saudi copper mine for re-injection into underground mining cavities to minimize waste exposure to the environment. The samples were tested for unconfined compressive strength (UCS) after 7, 14, 28, 56, and 90 days of curing. Results from a statistically designed experiment technique show that the samples developed sufficient strength to be used in mine backfilling applications. Strong negative relationships were detected between the UCS and the water-to-binder ratio. There is strong potential for mine backfill technology to be applied to a wide range of Saudi Arabian mines to enhance the sustainability of the mining sector. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Technology and Management)

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21 pages, 2023 KiB

Open AccessArticle

When Circular Economy Meets Inclusive Development. Insights from Urban Recycling and Rural Water Access in Argentina

by Lucas Becerra, Sebastián Carenzo and Paula Juarez

Sustainability 2020, 12(23), 9809; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12239809 - 24 Nov 2020

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4827

Abstract

How is it possible to design and deploy circular economy (CE) strategies oriented to inclusive development? How can non-traditional units of production and consumption (i.e., actual productive actors such as waste picker cooperatives and peasant organizations) be integrated into these strategies? Using data collected as a result of two long-term participatory action research projects carried out with a waste picker cooperative in Buenos Aires and 65 peasant families in Chaco (both located in Argentina) the paper opens the door to a proactive critical debate in terms of how to integrate circular economy principles with the development of technological solutions (artifacts, processes and methods of organization). We show that CE holds great potential, both in terms of its contribution to the generation of new interpretive frameworks and also, in terms of nurturing local and inclusive development strategies when it is integrated with collaborative, bottom-up and innovative dynamics. Based on the idea of working with heterogeneous traditional production units (not only with profit-maximizing firms), it is possible to think of social development avenues for vulnerable populations, where the CE principles build up mechanisms capable of maximizing the transformative potential of the resources (including those understood as waste) presented in actual techno-economic matrices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Technology and Management)

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14 pages, 2477 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Continuous Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Biowaste with Crude Glycerol under Mesophilic Conditions

by Jan Sprafke, Vicky Shettigondahalli Ekanthalu and Michael Nelles

Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9512; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229512 - 15 Nov 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2246

Abstract

A persistent topic of the anaerobic digestion of biowaste is the efficient use of co-substrates. According to Renewable Energy Sources Act the co-substrate input is limited to 10 percent of the average daily substrate feed in Germany. In this concern, the primary focus of this paper is to understand the suitability of crude glycerol in anaerobic digestion of biowaste. Two identical lab-scale anaerobic digester units were added with crude glycerol, and each unit was equipped with four identical fermenters. Unit A was fed with an average organic loading rate of 4.5 kg VS m⁻³ d⁻¹, and the average organic loading rate of unit B was set at 5.5 kg VS m⁻³ d⁻¹. The share of crude glycerol in the total feed was 0.77 percent of the fresh matter. The abort criterion is a ratio of the volatile organic acids and buffer capacity (FOS/TAC) in the fermenter above 1.2. The abort criterion was reached after 16 days. In summary, the results lead us to the conclusion crude glycerol is not suitable as a co-substrate for anaerobic digestion for several reasons. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Technology and Management)

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12 pages, 239 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Zero Waste University Program in Mexico: A Model for Grassroots Innovations in Sustainability

by Nancy Merary Jiménez-Martínez and Raúl García-Barrios

Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9444; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229444 - 13 Nov 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2191

Abstract

Grassroots innovations for sustainability can take various forms, including novel models for comprehensive waste management. This article examines the contributions of the University Solid Waste Management Program with a Zero Waste approach, a grassroots innovation established by the community of a university campus associated with a non-governmental organization. The program was developed in Cuernavaca, Mexico, in a political and economic context marked by unsustainable and inequitable practices, but with a long history of social struggle for the construction of alternatives. In analytical terms, we study the formation and mutual influence of the sustainability niches of both organizations from the perspective of strategic niche management theory, as well as the benefits resulting from such development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Technology and Management)

33 pages, 1533 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Renewable Energy-Aware Sustainable Cellular Networks with Load Balancing and Energy-Sharing Technique

by Md. Sanwar Hossain, Khondoker Ziaul Islam, Abu Jahid, Khondokar Mizanur Rahman, Sarwar Ahmed and Mohammed H. Alsharif

Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9340; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229340 - 10 Nov 2020

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3329

Abstract

With the proliferation of cellular networks, the ubiquitous availability of new-generation multimedia devices, and their wide-ranging data applications, telecom network operators are increasingly deploying the number of cellular base stations (BSs) to deal with unprecedented service demand. The rapid and radical deployment of the cellular network significantly exerts energy consumption and carbon footprints to the atmosphere. The ultimate objective of this work is to develop a sustainable and environmentally-friendly cellular infrastructure through compelling utilization of the locally available renewable energy sources (RES) namely solar photovoltaic (PV), wind turbine (WT), and biomass generator (BG). This article addresses the key challenges of envisioning the hybrid solar PV/WT/BG powered macro BSs in Bangladesh considering the dynamic profile of the RES and traffic intensity in the tempo-spatial domain. The optimal system architecture and technical criteria of the proposed system are critically evaluated with the help of HOMER optimization software for both on-grid and off-grid conditions to downsize the electricity generation cost and waste outflows while ensuring the desired quality of experience (QoE) over 20 years duration. Besides, the green energy-sharing mechanism under the off-grid condition and the grid-tied condition has been critically analyzed for optimal use of green energy. Moreover, the heuristic algorithm of the load balancing technique among collocated BSs has been incorporated for elevating the throughput and energy efficiency (EE) as well. The spectral efficiency (SE), energy efficiency, and outage probability performance of the contemplated wireless network are substantially examined using Matlab based Monte–Carlo simulation under a wide range of network configurations. Simulation results reveal that the proper load balancing technique pledges zero outage probability with expected system performance whereas energy cooperation policy offers an attractive solution for developing green mobile communications employing better utilization of renewable energy under the proposed hybrid solar PV/WT/BG scheme. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Technology and Management)

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21 pages, 5095 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Inadequacies in Hospital Waste and Sewerage Management in Chattogram, Bangladesh: Exploring Environmental and Occupational Health Hazards

by Batool Behnam, Shafiqua Nawrin Oishi, Sayed Mohammad Nazim Uddin, Nazifa Rafa, Sayed Mohammad Nasiruddin, AKM Moniruzzaman Mollah and Ma Hongzhi

Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 9077; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219077 - 31 Oct 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6124

Abstract

Bangladesh has been grappling with the issues of improper hospital waste management. To reflect the inadequacies in existing management practices and the potential implications on the environment and health, this study evaluated the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) of doctors and nurses in a private and a public hospital in Chattogram city via a structured questionnaire survey. At the public hospital, 20.4% of the doctors and 6% of the nurses had occupational illnesses, compared to 36% of the doctors and 26.5% of the nurses at the private hospital. At the public hospital, 67.8% of the nurses wore PPE during waste collection, compared to 17.7% in the private hospital. Hospital wastes and occupational safety are not properly dealt with in both hospitals. An inadequacy was observed in the knowledge of hospital waste management among healthcare workers. The route of hospital wastes from the sources to the end destination was also traced via interviews and focus group discussions, which revealed that disposal practices of the hospital solid waste were environmentally unsustainable. In attempts to show opportunities for environmental and health risks from the hospital wastewater, this study also investigated the quality of the wastewater and tested it for the presence of resistant enteric pathogens. E. coli and S. aureus from both hospitals showed resistance against some common antibiotics used in Bangladesh. The physicochemical properties of the samples were nearly compliant with the Bangladesh Water Quality Standards for hospital wastewater. While more robust sampling and water quality analysis are required, this study provides basic water quality indicators and scope for future research to understand the apparent significant negative impact on the environment and health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Technology and Management)

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13 pages, 1737 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Mining Waste Challenges: Environmental Risks of Gigatons of Mud, Dust and Sediment in Megadiverse Regions in Brazil

by Flávio F. Carmo, Andressa O. Lanchotti and Luciana H.Y. Kamino

Sustainability 2020, 12(20), 8466; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208466 - 14 Oct 2020

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 6132

Abstract

The management of long-lived mining wastes is a complex environmental challenge, but the subject is little discussed among the public, scientific community, and policymakers. The negative environmental impacts caused by mining wastes are severe and cause damage to human health and the loss and degradation of natural ecosystems. With the objective of stimulating discussion to advance the development of measures to contain threats to biodiversity and to mitigate negative impacts, we present an overview of total volumes of mining waste disposal in tailings dams and dump piles, discriminating them by ore type and biome. We highlight the major environmental risks and challenges associated with tropical forests, savannas, and freshwater ecosystems and possible limitations and advances in public policies and governance. The scale of this challenge is global, as some data show, for example, Brazil generated 3.6 billion tons of solid mining waste in dump piles in the period between 2008 and 2019. The volume is equivalent to 62% of the global mass of nonfuel minerals removed from the planet’s crust in 2006. Numerous socio-environmental disasters are caused by catastrophic mining dam failures, and over the last 34 years, an average of one failure has occurred every three years in Brazil. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Technology and Management)

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16 pages, 478 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions by Reusing and Recycling Used Clothing in Japan

by Toshiro Semba, Yuji Sakai, Miku Ishikawa and Atsushi Inaba

Sustainability 2020, 12(19), 8214; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12198214 - 5 Oct 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 6637

Abstract

According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 73% of used clothing is landfilled or incinerated globally and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fabric manufacturing in 2015 amounted to 1.2 billion tons. It must be reduced in the future, especially by reusing and recycling used clothing. Based on this perspective, researchers calculated the energy consumption and GHG emissions associated with reusing and recycling used clothing globally with a life cycle assessment (LCA). However, no study was conducted so far to estimate the total GHG emission reductions in Japan by reusing and recycling used clothing. In this study, the amount of used clothing currently discharged from households as combustible and noncombustible waste and their fiber types were estimated using literature. Then, the methods for reusing and recycling of used clothing were categorized into the following 5 types based on fiber type, that is, “reuse overseas,” “textile recycling to wipers,” “fiber recycling,” “chemical recycling” and “thermal recycling.” After that, by applying LCA, the GHG emission reductions by above 5 methods were estimated, based on the annual discharged weights of each fiber type. Consequently, the total GHG emissions reductions by reusing and recycling 6.03 × 10⁸ kg of used clothing totally were estimated around 6.60 × 10⁹ kg CO_2e, to range between 6.57 × 10⁹ kg CO_2e and 6.64 × 10⁹ kg CO_2e, which depended on the type of “chemical recycling.” The largest contribution was “reuse overseas,” which was 4.01 × 10⁹ kg CO_2e corresponded to approximately 60% of the total reduction. Where, it was assumed that used clothing were exported from Japan to Malaysia which was currently the largest importing country. In this case, GHG emissions to manufacture new clothing in China, the largest country currently to export them to Japan, can be avoided, which are 29.4 kg CO_2e and 32.5 kg CO_2e respectively for 1 kg jeans and 1 kg T-shirts. Adding the GHG emissions for overseas transportation to this, on average, 32.0 kg CO_2e per kg of used clothing was reduced by “reuse overseas,” which was 19.6 times larger than GHG emissions by incineration, 1.63 kg CO_2e per kg, in which carbon neutrality for cotton was not counted. As the result, the total GHG emission reductions above mentioned, around 6.60 × 10⁹ kg CO_2e, corresponds to 70% of the GHG emissions by incineration of total household garbage in Japan. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Technology and Management)

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12 pages, 1887 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impacts of Cellulase and Amylase on Enzymatic Hydrolysis and Methane Production in the Anaerobic Digestion of Corn Straw

by Xuemei Wang, Shikun Cheng, Zifu Li, Yu Men and Jiajun Wu

Sustainability 2020, 12(13), 5453; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12135453 - 6 Jul 2020

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 3447

Abstract

The impacts of enzyme pre-treatments on anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic biomass were explored by using corn straw as a substrate for enzyme pre-treatment and anaerobic digestion and by utilizing starch and microcrystalline cellulose as substrates for comparative analysis. The cellulase pre-treatment effectively improved the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose, decreased the crystallinity, and consequently showed 33.2% increase in methane yield. The methane yield of starch increased by 16.0% through amylase pre-treatment. However, when the substrate was corn straw, both the efficiencies of enzymes and methane production were markedly reduced by the lignocellulosic structure. The corn straw’s methane yields were 277.6 and 242.4 mL·CH₄/g·VS with cellulase and amylase pre-treatment, respectively, which was 11.7% and 27.9% higher than that of the untreated corn straw. It may imply that the lignocellulose should be broken up firstly, enzyme pre-treatments could have great potentials when combined with other methods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Technology and Management)

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15 pages, 1484 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Expansion of the Waste-Based Commodity Frontier: Insights from Sweden and Brazil

by Jutta Gutberlet, Torleif Bramryd and Michael Johansson

Sustainability 2020, 12(7), 2628; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12072628 - 26 Mar 2020

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 3763

Abstract

Waste is a valuable commodity and remains a livelihood source for waste pickers in the global South. Waste to Energy (WtoE) is often described as alternative to landfilling, as it provides cheap fuel while making waste disappear. In some European cities, this method has evolved into an impediment, slowing down the adoption of more sustainable technologies and waste prevention. These plants typically strain municipal budgets and provide fewer jobs than recycling and composting, thereby inhibiting the development of small-scale local recycling businesses. We applied the idea of ‘waste regime’ with an interdisciplinary and situated lens to provide insights to the following questions: How do different political developments in Brazil and Sweden, frame and reframe waste incineration and energy recovery, in the context of sustainability and waste management on local, regional and national levels? What forms of resistance against WtoE exist and what are the arguments of these protagonists? We evaluated the impact of WtoE and compare it with other waste management options with regard to CO₂ balances and general environmental and social impacts. We conclude by suggesting more socially and environmentally appropriate ways of waste management, particularly for the context of global South cities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Technology and Management)

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21 pages, 2910 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

What Could China Give to and Take from Other Countries in Terms of the Development of the Biogas Industry?

by Lei Zheng, Jingang Chen, Mingyue Zhao, Shikun Cheng, Li-Pang Wang, Heinz-Peter Mang and Zifu Li

Sustainability 2020, 12(4), 1490; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12041490 - 17 Feb 2020

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 5470

Abstract

Anaerobic digestion is one of the most sustainable and promising technologies for the management of organic residues. China plays an important role in the world’s biogas industry and has accumulated rich and valuable experience, both positive and negative. The country has established relatively complete laws, policies and a subsidy system; its world-renowned standard system guarantees the implementation of biogas projects. Its prefabricated biogas industry has been developed, and several biogas-linked agricultural models have been disseminated. Nonetheless, the subsidy system in China’s biogas industry is inflexible and cannot lead to marketization, unlike that of its European counterpart. Moreover, the equipment and technology levels of China’s biogas industry are still lagging and underdeveloped. Mono-digestion, rather than co-digestion, dominates the biogas industry. In addition, biogas upgrading technology is immature, and digestate lacks planning and management. China’s government subsidy is reconsidered in this work, resulting in the recommendation that subsidy should be based on products (i.e., output-oriented) instead of only input subsidy for construction. The policy could focus on the revival of abandoned biogas plants as well. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Technology and Management)

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14 pages, 1102 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of the Municipal Solid Waste Collection System on the Time Spent at a Collection Point: A Case Study

by Mar Carlos, Antonio Gallardo, Natalia Edo-Alcón and Juan Ramón Abaso

Sustainability 2019, 11(22), 6481; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11226481 - 18 Nov 2019

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3321

Abstract

Waste management plans pay attention to municipal solid waste (MSW) collection systems. It represents a significant portion of waste management as it involves a great economic cost and environmental impact. For these reasons, many researchers have studied the optimization of collection routes, analyzing factors that make them more efficient and sustainable, for example, the overall distance traveled and the time spent on the route. Collection times depend on factors such as the speed of the truck, time at traffic lights or time spent on loading and unloading the waste. The loading and unloading times play an important role in the measurement of the total time of the route. Moreover, there is scarce information in the literature about measuring the real-time spent on the trip. All those times are necessary to optimize the total route time. However, it is difficult to obtain this information directly as it depends on parameters such as the type of truck. The aim of this work is to propose a methodology to define all the times involved in the waste collection process. Once they are well defined, they have to be measured in some cases or calculated in others. This works also presents a case study to validate the proposed methodology with an extensive fieldwork to measure those times that can’t be calculated in the waste collection process. The work presents the results of a study of the time spent at a collection point in six MSW collection systems using different types of collection trucks and bin designs. We have determined how the characteristics of the system affect the time spent at a collection point. Additionally, the times for the six models have been established. Finally, we have determined the influence of the collection model in the duration of the activity. Under certain conditions, times can coincide even though the models are different. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Technology and Management)

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13 pages, 1122 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Predicting Renovation Waste Generation Based on Grey System Theory: A Case Study of Shenzhen

by Zhikun Ding, Mengjie Shi, Chen Lu, Zezhou Wu, Dan Chong and Wenyan Gong

Sustainability 2019, 11(16), 4326; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11164326 - 10 Aug 2019

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2918

Abstract

With the rapid development of urbanization, more and more people are willing to improve their living conditions, thus substantial attention has been paid to residential renovation in China. As a result, large quantities of renovation waste are generated annually which seriously challenge sustainable urban development. To effectively manage renovation waste, accurate prediction of waste generation rates is a prerequisite. However, in the literature, few attempts have been made for predicting renovation waste as renovation activities vary significantly in different cases. This study offers an approach to estimate the amount of renovation waste based on the vacancy rate and renovation waste generation rates at a city level. The grey system theory was applied to predict the amount of renovation waste in Shenzhen. Results showed that the amount of renovation waste would reach 135,620 tons in 2023. The research findings can provide supportive information to relevant stakeholders for developing a renovation waste management framework. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Technology and Management)

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Review

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23 pages, 1952 KiB

Open AccessReview

Advanced Recovery Techniques for Waste Materials from IT and Telecommunication Equipment Printed Circuit Boards

by Horațiu Vermeșan, Ancuța-Elena Tiuc and Marius Purcar

Sustainability 2020, 12(1), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010074 - 20 Dec 2019

Cited by 52 | Viewed by 9224

Abstract

Waste from information technology (IT) and telecommunication equipment (WITTE) constitutes a significant fraction of waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). The presence of rare metals and hazardous materials (e.g., heavy metals or flame retardants) makes the necessary recycling procedures difficult and expensive. Important efforts are being made for Waste Printed Circuit Board (WPCB) recycling because, even if they only amount to 5–10% of the WITTE weight, they constitute up to 80% of the recovered value. This paper summarizes the recycling techniques applicable to WPCBs. In the first part, dismantling and mechanical recycling techniques are presented. Within the frame of electro-mechanical separation technology, the chain process of shredding, washing, and sieving, followed by one or a combination of magnetic, eddy current, corona electrostatic, triboelectrostatic, or gravity separation techniques, is presented. The chemical and electrochemical processes are of utmost importance for the fine separation of metals coming from complex equipment such as WPCBs. Thermal recycling techniques such as pyrolysis and thermal treatment are presented as complementary solutions for achieving both an extra separation stage and thermal energy. As the recycling processes of WPCBs require adequate, efficient, and ecological recycling techniques, the aim of this survey is to identify and highlight the most important ones. Due to the high economic value of the resulting raw materials relative to the WPCBs’ weight and composition, their recycling represents both a necessary environmental protection action, as well as an economic opportunity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Technology and Management)

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