The potential impact of the new 'Right to Repair' rules on electrical and electronic equipment waste: A case study of the UK.

Every year an estimated two million tonnes of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) are discarded by householders and companies in the United Kingdom (UK). While the UK has left the European Union (EU), its waste-related policies still mirror those of the EU, including the WEEE-related policies. Motivated by the recent introduction the so-called 'Right to Repair' policy for electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) across the EU and UK, this paper aims to demonstrate that, depending on the commitment and behavioural changes by the consumers and the government, the future of the WEEE management of the UK will vary. To this end, focusing on landfilled WEEE reduction we develop a generic system dynamics model and apply it to eleven WEEE categories. They depict the flow of EEE and WEEE representing the interaction among the stakeholders (e.g., consumers and producers of EEE) and relevant government regulations of the UK. Our four scenario analyses find that longer use of EEE and better WEEE collection seem to be effective in reducing landfilled WEEE, while more reuse and more recycling and recovery have negligible impacts, despite excluding the additional generation of landfilled WEEE as a result of recycling and recovery. Comparing with the business-as-usual scenario, one year longer EEE use and 10% more of WEEE collection could at maximum reduce landfilled WEEE by 14.05% of monitoring and control instruments and 93.93% of display equipment respectively. Backcasting scenario analyses reveal that significant efforts are required to reduce the targeted amounts.

Smart regulations in maritime governance: Efficacy, gaps, and stakeholder perspectives.

The paper explores maritime environmental regulations, analyzing industry perspectives and their operational execution. It critically assesses the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations' effectiveness in mitigating climate challenges within the shipping domain. The central argument is that the evolving and intricate nature of maritime regulations often impedes policy goal realization, enforcement, impact evaluation, and equity perception. Utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, this research gathers, analyses, and interprets data via surveys and interviews. This exploration seeks to evaluate the regulations' impact on reducing shipping's negative impact, especially concerning emissions, waste management, and noise pollution, under the umbrella of smart regulations. The results indicate that the current regulatory approach is neither comprehensive nor immediate, necessitating a more agile, digitally enabled framework to adapt to fast-changing industry conditions.

Lifecycle of surgical devices: Global, environmental, and regulatory considerations.

BACKGROUND: Technological advancements, improved surgical access, and heightened demand for surgery have fueled unprecedented device and supply turnover impelling wealthy hospitals to upgrade continually and sell, donate, recycle, or dispose of used, expired, antiquated, or surplus goods. This paper reviews the issues related to device and supply lifecycles and discusses the opportunities and challenges they present for sustainable surgical growth in low- and middle-income (LMICs) countries. OBSERVATIONS: This review found, in LMICs countries, regulatory disparities persist that limit effective harmonization secondary to highly variable national policies and a lack of prioritized enforcement. Heterogeneity in the regulatory landscape, specifically in the classification, nomenclature, and identification of medical devices, encumbers effective regulation and distribution. Once devices are sold, donated, or reused in LMICs countries, complexities arise in regulatory compliance, maintenance, and appropriate use of these technologies. At the end of the lifecycle, waste management poses significant obstacles with limited resources hindering the implementation of best practices. CONCLUSION: There are major disparities in access to quality surgical equipment and supplies around the world. Improved communication between relevant stakeholders and harmonization of manufacture and disposal regulations will be needed to ensure adequate and appropriate responses to these challenges. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Not applicable.

Investigation of spatial association network features of construction waste in major Chinese urban agglomeration.

The illegal dumping of construction waste (CW) poses an increasingly serious environmental pollution problem with the accelerated rate of urbanization. As CW disposal capacity struggles to match municipal needs, some CW is being diverted to higher resource endowment cities rather than recycled. To address this situation, it is necessary to obtain reliable information on the characteristics and evolution of CW generation networks in China. This study combines a modified gravity model with Social Network Analysis (SNA) to analyze the spatial association networks of CW generation in four Chinese urban agglomerations between 2000 and 2020. Results reveal the evolution characteristics of the CW generation network, including increasing density and correlation and decreasing network efficiency. Furthermore, the Quality Assurance Procedure (QAP) indicates that urbanization level and population size are positively correlated with CW generations, whereas distance plays a negative role, but resources are insignificant for network formation. The findings provide insight into current patterns of waste distribution and a theoretical basis for government policy formulation in the future.

Do corporate governance mechanisms curb the anti-environmental behavior of firms worldwide? An illustration through waste management.

Driven by the current surge in environmental and climate issues and the pressure of the government and regulatory bodies on corporations to diminish their carbon trails, this study uniquely examines the impact of distinct corporate governance mechanisms on the level of waste produced on a global sample of firms during 2002-2019. Our findings show that corporate governance mechanisms are important predictors of the level of waste produced by firms worldwide. In particular, the board size, board independence, and sustainability committees are linked to a higher level of waste produced. Conversely, the board gender diversity reduces the waste produced, and CEO duality is not associated with the level of waste produced. Our results are robust to alternate proxies of main variables, potential endogeneity concerns (using propensity score matching, two-stage least squares, and generalized system method of moments technique), and additional analyses. Further analysis shows that larger and gender-diverse boards improve the firm's waste recycling behavior, whereas board independence and the presence of a sustainability committee are negatively related to waste recycling. The study has vital insinuations in developing efficient, ethical regulations and guidelines for corporate boards specifically from the perspective of waste management, environmental protection, and restoration.

Spatiotemporal evolution law and output prediction of construction waste in the People's Republic of China.

Based on the relevant data of construction waste (CW) in the People's Republic of China (PRC) from 2010 to 2018, this study applied K-means clustering algorithm and grey prediction methods to systematically investigate the spatiotemporal characteristic distribution and provincial clustering of CW in the PRC, and predicted the annual output of CW in the next five years from the scientific perspective. Results showed that the annual output of CW in the PRC displayed an overall trend of "rising first and then falling" and "being high in the middle east and low in the northwest," and the areas with obvious agglomeration gradually spread from the west to the middle and eastern regions. The law of development was consistent with the goals of the Chinese government to promulgate urban agglomeration development policies, prefabricated building encouragement policies, and CW management regulations. In the next five years, the annual output of CW in the PRC will increase by a small margin. Thus, all aspects of CW resource management should be conducted in a planned and step-by-step manner.

Overview of Legal and Policy Framework Approaches for Plastic Bag Waste Management in African Countries.

Plastic bag waste is a major challenge in several African countries. As a way of reducing the detrimental effects posed by plastic bags, governments have adopted various approaches for plastic bag waste management that include levies, bans and or the combination of the two. Despite the adoption of anti-plastic bag policies in several African countries, there has been limited investigation regarding their effectiveness. Thus, the present paper reviews the effectiveness of legal and policy framework approaches for plastic bag waste management in African countries. This systematic review covers legal and policy framework approaches for plastic bag waste management in African countries since 2004 with a view to find their effectiveness. Data sources included peer-reviewed journal articles, websites, books, reports, and dissertations. The databases from which literature was retrieved included Elsevier, Taylor, Springer, institutional repository, and Google Scholar. The current paper argues that poorly enforced plastic bag legislation, resistance from stakeholders, and limited effective substitutes are major factors hindering effective plastic bag waste management in Africa. A six-step model developed by Patton and Sawicki assisted in evaluating plastic bag policies in varied African nations. The study concluded that the key to effective legislation is hinged on consistent enforcement and educating the public to attain environmental buy-in. African countries should adopt and implement the Patton and Sawicki six-step rationalist model to achieve effective plastic bag legislation. African governments should enlighten consumers about other alternatives that are more specific to African countries, especially bags made of raffia and leaves. The findings are limited in that there may be other relevant articles (beyond published articles) about policy and legal approaches for plastic bag waste management, which are not available in the public domain. Therefore, data reviewed may not be exhaustible.

Risks and implications for health and the environment associated with products and waste containing nanomaterials: regulatory and management issues in the European framework.

SUMMARY: Nanomaterials can revolutionize everyday products, but there are still many unanswered questions about the risks they may pose to human health and the environment. Inconsistent definitions and metrological issues are still of concern for manufacturers, importers and distributors who are demanded to comply with strict regulations. It is also likely that the increasing number of nanomaterial-containing products available on the market will vary the chemical and physical properties of the waste produced, which is currently treated in traditional plants without any particular differentiation. Treatment efficiency for nanomaterials-containing waste should then be addressed and the risks of uncontrolled emissions considered. Finally, the risks associated with the use of nanomaterials-containing products may not be sufficiently characterized as current exposure estimation models are not designed for estimating exposure to nanomaterials and they are likely to be affected by large uncertainties. Hence, it would be important for national and international institutions to provide, as soon as possible, harmonized regulations covering all aspects of the life cycle of products and waste containing nanomaterials. This paper is proposed as a starting point for reflection on the main regulatory and management issues associated with products and waste containing nanomaterials, focusing mainly on the European framework.

Medical waste management at three hospitals in Jenin district, Palestine.

Medical wastes are considered hazardous because they may possess infectious agents and can cause unsafe effects on the environment and human health. This study is to analyze and evaluate the current status of medical waste management at Jenin's district in light of medical waste control regulations recommended by the World Health Organization. The results demonstrated that the average hazardous healthcare waste generation rate ranges from 0.54 to 1.82 kg/bed/day with a weighted average of 0.78 kg/bed/day. There was no established waste segregation of healthcare waste types in all hospitals, and these wastes were finally disposed of in a centralized municipal sanitary landfill, namely Zahrat Al-Finjan. The results suggest that there is a need for activation and enforcement of medical waste laws. This can be achieved through cooperation among key actors: Ministry of Health, Environmental Quality Authority, Ministry of Local Government, and Non-Governmental Organizations working in related fields. Additional remediation measures proposed to tackle the problematic areas of medical waste management in Jenin's district hospitals are addressed. Some recommendations to minimize potential health and environmental risks of medical waste are also introduced.

Pricing Strategy of Construction and Demolition Waste Considering Retailer Fairness Concerns under a Governmental Regulation Environment.

In order to investigate the issues of the recycling and remanufacturing of construction and demolition waste (C&D waste), this paper develops a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) consisting of a manufacturer, a retailer, and a recycler, considering both the retailer's fairness concern psychology and governmental regulations. Four mathematical models are developed for the calculations, and the models are solved through game theory. In both the decentralized and centralized scenarios, the members' strategies are discussed and the optimal values of decision variables are determined. A numerical study is carried out for sensitivity analyses to verify the accuracy of the theoretical conclusions. The results reveal that retailer fairness concerns lead to a decrease in the wholesale price of building materials and negatively affect manufacturers' profits. Additionally, governmental regulations can effectively increase the recycling amount and improve the utilization rate of C&D waste, and promote a virtuous cycle of the recycling and remanufacturing of C&D waste.

New Policy and Implementation of Municipal Solid Waste Classification in Shanghai, China.

To promote sustainable development, the Chinese government launched a new municipal solid waste (MSW) classification strategy in 2017. Shanghai was selected as one of the first pilot cities for MSW classification. The Shanghai municipal government first established the new MSW classification policy in 2017. The Shanghai Municipal Solid Waste Management Regulation was published in 2019 and came into effect on 1 July 2019. This short communication reports on Shanghai's new MSW classification policy and its implementation. The main content and measures adopted by Shanghai's government to ensure the effective implementation of the new MSW classification policy are introduced. Besides, a SWOT (i.e., strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis on the present policy and measures is conducted, and based on the results, some discussions and suggestions regarding the implementation of MSW classification in Shanghai and the whole of China are presented.

Behavioral game and simulation analysis of extended producer responsibility system's implementation under environmental regulations.

The implementation of the extended producer responsibility (EPR) for e-waste is an important measure to develop an ecological civilization. In order to advance manufacturing enterprises to effectively implement resource and environmental responsibility, this study investigates the main causes of environmental regulation failure from the perspective of government and enterprises. The game theory was used to establish an evolutionary game model between government regulatory departments and electronic and electrical products' manufacturing enterprises. A system dynamic model was utilized to construct the stock-flow graph of the game between government and enterprises, and to carry out simulation analysis under different strategies. The results found that the probability of an enterprise undertaking extended responsibility gradually increased and stabilized with the increase of government supervision and punishment intensity; the government's regulatory probability and punishment are important factors affecting the enterprises' compliance with regulations and responsibilities. The study suggests that government should focus on strengthening environmental regulations from the aspects of improving laws and regulations, establishing a regular monitoring system and innovating incentive and constraint mechanism.

Ballast water sediment management in ports.

In order to estimate the possible effects of existing ballast tank sediment management routine in ports the respective legal framework from different states was examined and the operational modes of selected Adriatic shipyards was analysed. The goal was to determine if the States' administration and ports' management are aware of risks which sediments pose to human health and environment due to possible presence of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens (HAOP) or high concentrations of heavy metals. The analysis revealed that sediments from ballast tanks after being collected, are subject to the same handling procedure as any other waste material generated during ships' repair and maintenance. In addition, measures preventing sediment drainage into the sea or procedures for analyzing the presence of heavy metals or toxics have not been identified. The paper proposes the procedures ensuring the more advanced level of protection from HAOP and potentially toxic substances from ballast sediment.

Legal Strategies to Cure the Plastic Planet: Corporate Marriage and Public Health Regulation of Single-Use Non-Biodegradeable Plastics.

The 2018 export ban of recyclables to China provides an additional important reason for Australia in particular to act internationally and domestically to reduce its plastic waste. The problems Australia faces from single-use non-biodegradable plastics are replicated in every nation on Earth. Focusing on the Australian context, this article examines regulatory approaches to the problem of plastic production, consumption and disposal and its negative impact on public and ecosystem health. It scrutinises the current legal framework for managing plastic waste at Commonwealth, State and international levels, advocating greater regulation. Its regulatory recommendations include a Pigouvian tax in the form of an excise on plastic production to alter consumer behaviour and raise revenue for further investment in reusable alternatives. They also involve mandatory corporate responsibility obligations, a concept we term "corporate marriage". Other alternative and additional measures to combat single-use plastic waste as utilised in other jurisdictions are proposed for Australian implementation.

Analysis of the Evolution Game of Construction and Demolition Waste Recycling Behavior Based on Prospect Theory under Environmental Regulation.

With the development of the construction industry, increasing concern over construction and demolition waste (CDW) has initiated a wave of environmental regulation by the government in order to reduce the environmental impact and ensure sustainable development. Research on behavioral decision-making can offer a theoretical basis for the government and individuals. This paper aims to study the behavioral decision-making of stakeholders in CDW recycling under environmental regulation. Considering the limited rationality of stakeholders and the difference in reference points, an evolutionary game model including contractors and manufacturers of construction materials is proposed based on the prospect theory of behavioral economics. The results indicate that, only when the perceived benefits of one or both stakeholders for participation under the environmental regulation exceed those for non-participation, can the CDW recycling system eventually evolve to a stable state in which both stakeholders choose to participate. In addition, factors such as the initial strategy, production cost, technology, subsidies, recycling benefits, and the degree of perception of the stakeholders, exert certain influences on the stable state. To attain the required stable state, the government should increase the subsidies for the stakeholders and strengthen the publicity regarding recycling effects to improve the perceived benefits.

Determinants and the Moderating Effect of Perceived Policy Effectiveness on Residents' Separation Intention for Rural Household Solid Waste.

Currently, villages "besieged with garbage" have become a serious problem in rural areas of China. Separation of rural residential solid waste (RRSW) is one of the main strategies for waste reduction. Although previous studies have analyzed the social and psychological motivations of residents' separation intention for municipal solid waste (MSW), little attention has been paid to the situation in rural areas. This paper investigates key factors influencing rural residents' separation intention, as well as analyzing the moderating effects of perceived policy effectiveness on the relationship between the determinants and the intention, using survey data of 538 rural residents in the province of Sichuan in China. The results show that all the proposed key factors influence the separation intention significantly. Furthermore, the policies were divided into two types and the moderating effects were tested for each type. The results show that the perceived effectiveness of both the inducement policy and the capacity building policy moderated the relationship between attitude and separation intention positively, while the perceived effectiveness of the inducement policy moderated the relationship between subjective norms and intention negatively. The findings provide insightful information for policymakers to design effective RRSW separation policies.

Don't Get Waste-Deep.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality both have roles in regulating waste that physician practices generate, and it's not all about proper handling and disposal. Registration and paperwork negligence can land practices in big trouble as well.

E-waste management and sustainability: a case study in Brazil.

The advancement of technology and development of new electronic and electrical equipment with a reduced life cycle has increased the need for the disposal of them (called Waste of Electric and Electronic Equipment or simply e-waste) due to defects presented during use, replacement of obsolete equipment, and ease of acquisition of new equipment. There is a lack of consumer awareness regarding the use, handling storage, and disposal of this equipment. In Brazil, the disposal of post-consumer waste is regulated by the National Solid Waste Policy, established by Law No. 12305 and regulated on the 23rd December 2010. Under this legislation, manufacturers and importers are required to perform a project for the Reverse Logistics of e-waste, though its implementation is not well defined. This work focuses on the verification of the sustainability of reverse logistics suggested by the legislation and the mandatory points, evaluating its costs and the possible financial gain with recycling of the waste. The management of reverse logistics and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment, or simply recycling of e-waste, as suggested by the government, will be the responsibility of the managing organization to be formed by the manufacturers/importers in Brazil.

Generation and management of waste electric vehicle batteries in China.

With the increasing adoption of EVs (electric vehicles), a large number of waste EV LIBs (electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries) were generated in China. Statistics showed generation of waste EV LIBs in 2016 reached approximately 10,000 tons, and the amount of them would be growing rapidly in the future. In view of the deleterious effects of waste EV LIBs on the environment and the valuable energy storage capacity or materials that can be reused in them, China has started emphasizing the management, reuse, and recycling of them. This paper presented the generation trend of waste EV LIBs and focused on interrelated management development and experience in China. Based on the situation of waste EV LIBs management in China, existing problems were analyzed and summarized. Some recommendations were made for decision-making organs to use as valuable references to improve the management of waste EV LIBs and promote the sustainable development of EVs.