Impact of residual antibiotics on microbial decomposition of livestock manures in Eutric Regosol: Implications for sustainable nutrient recycling and soil carbon sequestration.

The land application of livestock manure has been widely acknowledged as a beneficial approach for nutrient recycling and environmental protection. However, the impact of residual antibiotics, a common contaminant of manure, on the degradation of organic compounds and nutrient release in Eutric Regosol is not well understood. Here, we studied, how oxytetracycline (OTC) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) affect the decomposition, microbial community structure, extracellular enzyme activities and nutrient release from cattle and pig manure using litterbag incubation experiments. Results showed that OTC and CIP greatly inhibited livestock manure decomposition, causing a decreased rate of carbon (28%-87%), nitrogen (15%-44%) and phosphorus (26%-43%) release. The relative abundance of gram-negative (G-) bacteria was reduced by 4.0%-13% while fungi increased by 7.0%-71% during a 28-day incubation period. Co-occurrence network analysis showed that antibiotic exposure disrupted microbial interactions, particularly among G- bacteria, G+ bacteria, and actinomycetes. These changes in microbial community structure and function resulted in decreased activity of urease, ß-1,4-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase, alkaline protease, chitinase, and catalase, causing reduced decomposition and nutrient release in cattle and pig manures. These findings advance our understanding of decomposition and nutrient recycling from manure-contaminated antibiotics, which will help facilitate sustainable agricultural production and soil carbon sequestration.

Production of eco composites based on natural rubber and recycled sugarcane bagasse waste to be utilised as a type of food contact.

Natural fibres are abundant, renewable, and biodegradable, which has inspired numerous academics worldwide to investigate their possible applications in various industrial fields. The food packaging sector is seeking bio-based and biodegradable substitutes to increase sustainability. In this study, new composites were prepared from natural rubber (NR) and sugarcane bagasse fibres (SCB) with different concentrations of SCB (0, 2.5, 5, 10 &20 phr). The effect of SCB on the properties of natural rubber was studied before and after the alkaline treatment of the fibres. The biocomposites are characterized using Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, and dielectric measurements in addition to rheological and mechanical analysis. The overall migration test for biocomposites loaded with 20phr SCB was performed to assess the biocomposite's safety as food contact materials. The study's results indicated that, adding SCB improved the conductivity, tensile strength, and elongation at break of natural rubber. Alkaline treatment strengthened the bonding between the filler and matrix and improved biocomposites' thermal dielectric and mechanical properties. The overall migration test indicated that the alkaline treatment increased the overall migration to simulants. Accordingly, alkaline-treated NR-SCB biocomposites are effective eco-friendly food packaging candidates for certain types of food such as aqueous non-acidic products.

Assessment and management of construction and demolition waste in tier 2 cities of Karnataka, India: a case study of Hubli-Dharwad and Davanagere.

The present study examines the current practices for managing construction and demolition waste (CDW) in two tier-2 cities of Karnataka state: Hubli-Dharwad and Davanagere. The research highlights the quantification, characterization, and effective management strategies for CDW. CDW dumping sites were identified through field visits conducted across all wards of the cities and recorded using a mobile-based app. At each site, data were collected on the types of vehicles dumping CDW, the frequency of dumping, the volume of waste in the vehicles, and the quantity of CDW removed for reuse. The dumping sites were categorized into large, medium, and small based on the area and volume of waste. In total, 130 unauthorised dumping sites were identified in Hubli-Dharwad and 62 in Davanagere. The study estimated that Hubli-Dharwad generates approximately 607 tonnes per day (TPD) of CDW, while Davanagere produces around 287 TPD. The characterization of CDW revealed that in Hubli-Dharwad, CDW consists of 14.4% concrete, 25.5% brick and mortar, 39.1% soil and aggregates, and 20% other materials. In Davanagere, the composition includes 19% concrete, 29% brick and mortar, 38% soil, and 14% other materials. Based on these findings, the study proposes a system for the collection and transportation of CDW and recommends suitable recycling technologies. While the approach outlined in this paper is well-suited for urban local bodies to assess CDW, the data on CDW reuse and recycling is primarily based on informal practices. This makes accurate quantification challenging and subject to variation over time due to a lack of regulatory oversight. Additionally, the study provides only a snapshot of CDW generation and management at a specific point in time, potentially missing seasonal variations or long-term trends in waste handling.

Value-added utilization technologies for seaweed processing waste in a circular economy: Developing a sustainable modern seaweed industry.

The global seaweed industry annually consumes approximately 600,000 tons of dried algal biomass to produce algal hydrocolloids, yet only 15-30% of this biomass is utilized, with the remaining 70-85% discarded or released as scum or wastewater during the hydrocolloid extraction process. This residual biomass is often treated as waste and not considered for further commercial use, which contradicts the principles of sustainable development. In reality, the residual algal biomass could be employed to extract additional biochemical components, such as pigments, proteins, and cellulose, and these ingredients have important application prospects in the food sector. According to the biorefinery concept, recycling various products alongside the principal product enhances overall biomass utilization. Transitioning from traditional single-product processes to multi-product biorefineries, however, raises operating costs, presenting a significant challenge. Alternatively, developing value-added utilization technologies that target seaweed waste without altering existing processes is gaining traction among industry practitioners. Current advancements include methods such as separation and extraction of residual biomass, anaerobic digestion, thermochemical conversion, enzymatic treatment, functionalized modification of algal scum, and efficient utilization through metabolic engineering. These technologies hold promise for converting seaweed waste into alternative proteins, dietary supplements, and bioplastics for food packaging. Combining multiple technologies may offer the most effective strategy for future seaweed waste treatment. Nonetheless, most research on value-added waste utilization remains at the laboratory scale, necessitating further investigation at pilot and commercial scales.

Optimization of household medical waste recycling logistics routes: Considering contamination risks.

The escalating generation of household medical waste, a byproduct of industrialization and global population growth, has rendered its transportation and logistics management a critical societal concern. This study delves into the optimization of routes for vehicles within the household medical waste logistics network, a response to the imperative of managing this waste effectively. The potential for environmental and public health hazards due to improper waste disposal is acknowledged, prompting the incorporation of contamination risk, influenced by transport duration, waste volume, and wind velocity, into the analysis. To enhance the realism of the simulation, traffic congestion is integrated into the vehicle speed function, reflecting the urban roads' variability. Subsequently, a Bi-objective mixed-integer programming model is formulated to concurrently minimize total operational costs and environmental pollution risks. The complexity inherent in the optimization problem has motivated the development of the Adaptive Hybrid Artificial Fish Swarming Algorithm with Non-Dominated Sorting (AH-NSAFSA). This algorithm employs a sophisticated approach, amalgamating congestion distance and individual ranking to discern optimal solutions from the population. It incorporates a decay function to facilitate an adaptive iterative process, enhancing the algorithm's convergence properties. Furthermore, it leverages the concept of crossover-induced elimination to preserve the genetic diversity and overall robustness of the solution set. The empirical evaluation of AH-NSAFSA is conducted using a test set derived from the Solomon dataset, demonstrating the algorithm's capability to generate feasible non-dominated solutions for household medical waste recycling path planning. Comparative analysis with the Non-dominated Sorted Artificial Fish Swarm Algorithm (NSAFSA) and Non-dominated Sorted Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) across metrics such as MID, SM, NOS, and CT reveals that AH-NSAFSA excels in MID, SM, and NOS, and surpasses NSAFSA in CT, albeit slightly underperforming relative to NSGA-II. The study's holistic approach to waste recycling route planning, which integrates cost-effectiveness with pollution risk and traffic congestion considerations, offers substantial support for enterprises in formulating sustainable green development strategies. AH-NSAFSA offers an eco-efficient, holistic approach to medical waste recycling, advancing sustainable management practices.

Recycling of Sewage Sludge: Synthesis and Application of Sludge-Based Activated Carbon in the Efficient Removal of Cadmium (II) and Lead (II) from Wastewater.

The limited supply of drinking water has aroused people's curiosity in recent decades. Adsorption is a popular method for removing hazardous substances from wastewater, especially heavy metals, as it is cheap, highly efficient, and easy to use. In this work, a new sludge-based activated carbon adsorbent (thickened samples SBAC1 and un-thickened samples SBAC2) was developed to remove hazardous metals such as cadmium (Cd+2) and lead (Pb+2) from an aqueous solution. The chemical structure and surface morphology of the produced SBAC1 and SBAC2 were investigated using a range of analytical tools such as CHNS, BET, FT-IR, XRD, XRF, SEM, TEM, N2 adsorption/desorption isothermal, and zeta potential. BET surface areas were examined and SBAC2 was found to have a larger BET surface area (498.386 m2/g) than SBAC1 (336.339 m2/g). While the average pore size was 10-100 nm for SBAC1 and 45-50 nm for SBAC2. SBAC1 and SBAC2 eliminated approximately 99.99% of Cd+2 and Pb+2 out the water under all conditions tested. The results of the adsorption of Cd+2 and Pb+2 were in good agreement with the pseudo-second-order equation (R2 = 1.00). Under the experimental conditions, the Cd+2 and Pb+2 adsorption equilibrium data were effectively linked to the Langmuir and Freundlich equations for SBAC1 and SBAC2, respectively. The regeneration showed a high recyclability for the fabricated SBAC1 and SBAC2 during five consecutive reuse cycles. As a result, the produced SBAC1 and SBAC2 are attractive adsorbents for the elimination of heavy metals from various environmental and industrial wastewater samples.

Hormesis of black soldier fly larva: Influence and interactions in livestock manure recycling.

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are considered important organisms, utilized as tools to transform waste including manure into valuable products. The growth and cultivation of BSFL are influenced by various factors, such as the presence of toxic substances in the feed and parasites. These factors play a crucial role in hormesis, and contributing to regulate these contaminants hermetic doses to get sustainable byproducts. This review aims to understand the effects on BSFL growth and activities in the presence of compounds like organic and inorganic pollutants. It also assesses the impact of microbes on BSFL growth and explores the bioaccumulation of pharmaceutical compounds, specifically focusing on heavy metals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, indigenous bacteria, insects, and nematodes. The review concludes by addressing knowledge gaps, proposing future biorefineries, and offering recommendations for further research.

Elevating clean energy through sludge: A comprehensive study of hydrothermal carbonization and co-gasification technologies.

This study explores the recycling challenges of industrial sludge, owing to its non-recyclable properties and associated environmental problems. To promote sustainable energy utilization, a novel approach combining hydrothermal carbonization and co-gasification was employed to facilitate the conversion from waste to energy. The industrial sludge was pretreated in the batch-type hydrothermal treatment unit at 180-220 °C, followed by co-gasification. The experimental results indicate that pretreating the sludge at the hydrothermal temperature of 200 °C maximized its thermal decomposition, leading to a rougher structure with obvious cracks, eventually transforming into numerous fragmented small particles. At 1100 °C with a blending mass ratio of 1:1, the sludge hydrochar at 200 °C significantly enhanced the reactivity of coal char, exhibiting the gasification reactivity index R0.9 of 1.57 times higher than that of untreated char. Using the in-situ technique with the heating stage microscope, it was first observed that the addition of pretreated sludge coal chars underwent gasification in the shrinking core mode, displaying a significant ash melt flow phenomenon. Based on the in-situ X-ray diffraction, it was discovered that more amorphous structures were formed by the reaction of Fe with other minerals in the sludge-coal blended char after hydrothermal carbonization at 200 °C. With pretreatment at the hydrothermal temperature of 200 °C, the sludge can increase the specific surface area of the blended char and facilitate the cracking of carbon crystals during co-gasification. Its specific surface area and the Raman spectroscopic ratio ID1/IG were 1.76 and 1.17 times that of coal char, respectively. Collectively, this study highlights the potential for energy recovery from industrial sludge, contributing to sustainable waste management in the chemical industry.

Carbon and social impacts in the EU's consumption of fossil and mineral raw materials.

Fossil and mineral raw materials cause unintended and detrimental environmental and social impacts via extraction, production and combustion processes. In this study, we analyse how consumer demand in the European Union (EU) drives environmental and social impacts in mining sectors worldwide. We employ multi-regional input-output analysis to quantify positive (i.e., income, female and male employment) and negative (greenhouse gas emissions, accidents at work, and modern slavery) impacts of raw materials. We trace these environmental and social impacts across the EU's trading partners to identify sectoral and regional hotspots of international spillovers embodied in the EU's consumer demand. We estimate that the EU's consumption is associated with significant spillover impacts primarily in Central Asia, Asia Pacific, and Africa. We contextualise these results within a three-pillar framework to highlight the importance of a comprehensive and partnership-based approach to curbing environmental and social spillovers embodied in the EU's consumption of raw materials. Specifically, we highlight three potential practical policy strategies: leveraging EU domestic instruments and regulations, strengthening the Green Deal and SDG diplomacy and financing, and promoting responsible consumption, recycling and innovation. Our results underline the need for further reforms in mining industries and trade policies to reduce adverse social and environmental impacts.

Preparation of 97% pure nickel-cobalt alloy from waste Ni-MH batteries by using waste glass as a fluxing agent.

With the e-waste growing rapidly all over the globe due to growing demand of electronics, smartphones, etc., coming up with an efficient and sustainable recycling process is the need of the hour. The present work reports a novel and sustainable process of manufacturing Ni alloy by bringing together three major waste streams such as waste Ni-MH batteries, e-waste plastics, and waste glass. The chosen temperature (1550 °C) favours the reduction of nickel-oxide by e-waste plastic as the reductant and sends rare earth elements present in the waste Ni-MH battery as oxide mixture to the slag phase. Waste glass powder used in this process functions as the fluxing agent, hence not requiring any additional flux. The reduction mechanism is gas-based, controlled mainly by hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases released as a result of decomposition of e-waste plastic as reaction commenced from cold zone (∼300 °C) to hot zone (1550 °C) in the horizontal tubular furnace. Formation of nickel alloy and enrichment of slag with mixture of rare earth oxides were confirmed by XRD, SEM-EDS, and Rietveld refining analysis performed on the XRD spectra of slag phase. ICP-OES (Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy) and LIBS (laser induced breakdown spectrometer KT-100S) confirmed the high metal content in the alloy, thereby emphasizing the purity (∼98%) which is close to the composition of nickel super alloy. A maximum of 61% by weight REO enrichment was achieved in the slag phase, having La2O3:44.6%, Pr2O3:14.8%, and Nd2O3: 1.6% under optimised experimental conditions (1550 °C, 15 min, and 20% waste glass powder). This scientific investigation evinces a promising route for efficient utilisation of waste streams emanating from e-waste, thereby devising a sustainable recycling technique and protecting the environment, too.

Toward More Realistic Estimates of Product Displacement in Life Cycle Assessment.

Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is one of the most widely applied methods for sustainability assessment. A main application of LCA is to compare alternative products to identify and promote those that are more environmentally friendly. Such comparative LCA studies often rest on, explicitly or implicitly, an idealized assumption, namely, 1:1 displacement between functionally equivalent products. However, product displacement in the real world is much more complicated, affected by various factors such as the rebound effect and policy schemes. Here, we quantitatively review studies that have considered these aspects to evaluate the magnitude and distribution of realistic displacement estimates across several major product categories (biofuels, electricity, electric vehicles, and recycled products). Results show that displacement ratios concentrate around 40-60%, suggesting considerable overestimation of the benefits of alternative products if the 1:1 displacement assumption was used. Overall, there have been a small number of modeling studies on realistic product displacement and their scopes were limited. Additional research is needed to cover more product categories and geographies and improve the modeling of market and policy complexities. As such research accumulates, their displacement estimates can form a database that can be drawn upon by comparative LCA studies to more accurately determine the environmental impacts of alternative products.

Microalgae treatment of food processing wastewater for simultaneous biomass resource recycling and water reuse.

Food processing wastewater presents a considerable challenge for treatment owing to its elevated nitrogen and phosphorus levels. Nonetheless, it possesses inherent value attributed to its abundant nutrients and organic content. This study presents an innovative approach for treating food processing wastewater and reusing biomass. Initially, the secondary-treated wastewater undergoes flocculation and sedimentation, followed by reverse osmosis to ensure that the effluent meets reuse standards. Subsequently, reverse osmosis concentrates, generated at varying water recovery rates, are utilized for microalgae cultivation to recover nitrogen and phosphorus. Furthermore, this study highlights the potential of reverse osmosis concentrates in reducing the water demand for microalgae cultivation and in producing commercial-grade nutrients. The findings reveal that reverse osmosis achieves removal rates exceeding 90 % for both nitrogen and phosphorus and effluent meets reuse standards. Following seven days of cultivation, microalgae cultured in reverse osmosis concentrated water with an 80 % water recovery rate demonstrate denitrification and phosphorus removal rates of 73.88 % and 80.92 % respectively, with a biomass concentration of 563 mg/L and a protein yield of 128 mg/L. Moreover, a total volumetric energy yield of 10.08 kJ/L is obtained, facilitating energy valorization. In conclusion, this study offers practical solutions for wastewater treatment and resource recovery, enabling the attainment of zero discharge of pollutants while generating valuable resources through microalgae cultivation.

Economic evaluation of hazardous healthcare waste treatment systems.

The cost estimation and assessment of healthcare waste treatment systems (HCWTSs) for preventing financial and environmental damage are essential. This work reports economic analyses of treatment of hazardous-infectious waste based on WHO approach in HCWTSS of 43 hospitals in Tehran, Iran. The waste generation rate for total hospital waste in 43 HCWTSS was 4.42 ± 2.77 kg/active-bed/day. The mean of chemical, sharps, infectious, and general wastes in 43 HCWTSS were 13.79 ± 19.71, 30.29 ± 37.46, 336.28 ± 291.31, and 539.6 ± 383.13 kg/day, respectively. Economic analyses proved that general hospitals spent 1.63 times more than specialized hospitals on treating hazardous-infectious waste per year. The annual cost of treating each kilogram of hazardous healthcare waste in studied HCWTSS was 0.3 dollars. A range of total annual costs in 43 HCWTSS was limited to 7.9-118 thousand dollars. The results of ANOVA test demonstrated that the age and performance levels of hospitals significantly affect the annual capital and operating costs, respectively. Hence, improving recycling knowledge and increasing source-separated recycling should be considered to control the costs in HCWTSS. The results of this work have implications for the hospital managers in especially developing countries to evaluate previously unknown economic analyses and policies and take action to control wasted costs in HCWTSS.

Comprehensive analysis of bioplastics: life cycle assessment, waste management, biodiversity impact, and sustainable mitigation strategies.

Bioplastics are emerging as a promising alternative to traditional plastics, driven by the need for more sustainable options. This review article offers an in-depth analysis of the entire life cycle of bioplastics, from raw material cultivation to manufacturing and disposal, with a focus on environmental impacts at each stage. It emphasizes the significance of adopting sustainable agricultural practices and selecting appropriate feedstock to improve environmental outcomes. The review highlights the detrimental effects of unsustainable farming methods, such as pesticide use and deforestation, which can lead to soil erosion, water pollution, habitat destruction, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. To address these challenges, the article advocates for the use of efficient extraction techniques and renewable energy sources, prioritizing environmental considerations throughout the production process. Furthermore, the methods for reducing energy consumption, water usage, and chemical inputs during manufacturing by implementing eco-friendly technologies. It stresses the importance of developing robust disposal systems for biodegradable materials and supports recycling initiatives to minimize the need for new resources. The holistic approach to sustainability, including responsible feedstock cultivation, efficient production practices, and effective end-of-life management. It underscores the need to evaluate the potential of bioplastics to reduce plastic pollution, considering technological advancements, infrastructure development, and increased consumer awareness. Future research should focus on enhancing production sustainability, understanding long-term ecological impacts, and advancing bioplastics technology for better performance and environmental compatibility. This comprehensive analysis of bioplastics' ecological footprint highlights the urgent need for sustainable solutions in plastic production.

Bisphenols in daily clothes from conventional and recycled material: evaluation of dermal exposure to potentially toxic substances.

Given the increasing concern about chemical exposure from textiles, our study examines the risks of dermal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol S (BPS), bisphenol B (BPB) and bisphenol F (BPF) from conventional and recycled textiles for adults, aiming to obtain new data, assess exposure, and evaluate the impact of washing on bisphenol levels. A total of 57 textile samples (33 from recycled and 24 from conventional material) were subjected to ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) followed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry analysis (UHPLC-MS/MS). The BPA and BPS concentrations varied widely (BPA: < 0.050 to 625 ng/g, BPS: 0.277-2,474 ng/g). The median BPA content in recycled textiles (13.5 ng/g) was almost twice as high as that of 7.66 ng/g in conventional textiles. BPS showed a median of 1.85 ng/g in recycled textiles and 3.42 ng/g in conventional textiles, indicating a shift from BPA to BPS in manufacturing practices. Simulated laundry experiments showed an overall reduction in bisphenols concentrations after washing. The study also assessed potential health implications via dermal exposure to dry and sweat-wet textiles compared to a tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 0.2 ng/kg bw/day for BPA set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Exposure from dry textiles remained below this threshold, while exposure from wet textiles often exceeded it, indicating an increased risk under conditions that simulate sweating or humidity. By finding the widespread presence of bisphenols in textiles, our study emphasises the importance of being aware of the potential risks associated with recycling materials as well as the benefits.

Development of strontium aluminate-printed nonwoven fabric from recycled cotton cellulose for smart wearable photochromic applications.

Smart photochromic and fluorescent textile refers to garments that alter their colorimetric properties in response to external light stimulus. Cotton fibers have been reported as a main resource for many textile and non-textile industries, such as automobiles, medical devices, and furniture applications. Cotton is a natural fiber that is distinguished with breathability, softness, cheapness, and highly absorbent. However, there have been growing demands to find other resources for cotton textiles at high quality and low cost for various applications, such as sensor for harmful ultraviolet radiation. Herein, we present a novel method toward luminescent and photochromic nonwoven textiles from recycled cotton waste. Using the screen-printing technology, a cotton fabric that is both photochromic and fluorescent was developed using aqueous inorganic phosphor nanoparticles (10-18 nm)-containing printing paste. Both CIE Lab color coordinates and photoluminescence spectra showed that the transparent film printed on the nonwoven fabric develops a reversible green emission (519 nm) under ultraviolet light (365 nm), even at low pigment concentration (2%) in the printing paste. Colorfastness of printed fabrics showed high durability and photostability.

A low-temperature co-treatment of diethylhexyl phthalate-rich polyvinyl chloride and waste copper catalyst by subcritical water (hydrothermal treatment): Dechlorination, recovery of diethylhexyl phthalate and copper.

As one of the most widespread plastics in the world, the recycling of diethylhexyl phthalate-rich polyvinyl chloride (DEHP-rich PVC) faces great challenges because of the high levels of Cl and plasticizers. On the other hand, waste copper catalyst (WCC) discharged from various industrial processes is not effectively recycled. In this study, a significant synergistic effect between the DEHP-rich PVC and WCC was found in a subcritical water (SubCW) medium, and a co-treatment of the DEHP-rich PVC and WCC was developed by the SubCW process. The introduction of WCC significantly improved the dechlorination efficiency of the DEHP-rich PVC to 96.03 % at a low temperature of 250 °C. Under the optimal conditions, the leaching of copper from WCC reached a maximum of 81.08 %. Oil products included DEHP (55.7 %, GC peak area%), 3-methyl-3-heptene (37.3 %, GC peak area%), and 2-ethyl-1-hexanol (7.0 %, GC peak area%). The dechlorination pathways of the DEHP-rich PVC included hydroxyl substitution and direct dechlorination. HCl released from the DEHP-rich PVC led to a decrease in the pH of the system and significant copper leaching from the WCC. DEHP was decomposed by hydrolysis, dehydration, and rearrangement reaction by the SubCW co-treatment process. The enhancement mechanism of the WCC for the dechlorination of the DEHP-rich PVC was based on that the conversion of copper species in the SubCW promoted the formation of hydroxyl radicals and the hydroxyl substitution for chlorine in PVC molecular chain. The proposed SubCW low-temperature co-treatment could be a prospective strategy for the low-energy and synchronous recovery of the two different wastes of the DEHP-rich PVC and WCC.

Exposing the pitfalls of plastics mechanical recycling through cost calculation.

The plastic industry needs to match the recycling goals set by the EU. Next to technological hurdles, the cost of plastics mechanical recycling is an important modality in this transition. This paper reveals how business economic cost calculation can expose significant pitfalls in the recycling process, by unravelling limitations and boundary conditions, such as scale. By combining the business economic methodology with a Material Flow Analysis, this paper shows the influence of mass retention of products, the capacity of the processing lines, scaling of input capacity, and waste composition on the recycling process and associated costs. Two cases were investigated: (i) the Initial Sorting in a medium size Material Recovery Facility and (ii) an improved mechanical recycling process for flexibles - known as the Quality Recycling Process - consisting of Additional Sorting and Improved Recycling. Assessing the whole recycling chain gives a more holistic insight into the influences of choices and operating parameters on subsequent costs in other parts of the chain and results in a more accurate cost of recycled plastic products. This research concluded that the cost of Initial Sorting of flexibles is 110,08-122,53 EUR/t, while the cost of subsequent Additional Sorting and Improved Recycling ranges from 566,26 EUR/t for rPE Flex to 735,47 EUR/t for rPP Film, these insights can be used to determine a fair price for plastic products. For the Quality Recycling Process it was shown that rationalisation according to the identified pitfalls can reduce the cost per tonne of product by 15-26%.

Estimation of the uncertainty of metal content in a batch of waste printed circuit boards from computer motherboards.

Electronic wastes are a valuable resource due to their critical and precious metal content. To include these wastes in recycling or recovery chains, it is necessary to precisely determine their metal content. Because analysing the whole sample of a batch of electronic waste is not practical, different preparation and sampling or subsampling steps are necessary. Sampling induces an error in the composition of the final sample compared to that of the initial batch, which finally leads to uncertainty in the final metal content measurement as compared to the "actual" batch metal content. The aim was to characterize the uncertainty in metal content of a batch of 372 kg of WPCB. Thirty-nine metals were analysed and thirty-two were considered: base, precious, rare-earths and critical metals. An empirical method (i.e. replicated measurement tests) was thus applied, based on statistical calculations according to Eurachem Guidelines. Uncertainty arising during the 3 different stages of the preparation process (primary, secondly and tertiary sampling steps) was calculated. For the analysed given weight (0.5 g), the shredding efficiency, which directly affects metal particle size distribution, was found to be the most important factor influencing the uncertainty. Uncertainties in base metal content, which is often concentrated in the coarsest particles, arose mainly from the last preparation step (tertiary sampling). Conversely, precious metals and rare-earths were finely ground during the 3 preparation steps, which led to low uncertainties, despite their low concentration in the waste (<337 mg/t for precious and < 35 mg/t for rare-earths).

Contribution of waste management to a sustainable textile sector.

With increasing textile consumption and limited sorting and recycling capacities, the EU faces major challenges in terms of managing its textile waste. This study investigates the environmental and socio-economic impacts of explorative policy scenarios for a more sustainable textile waste management system in Europe. These scenarios differ substantially in the amounts of textile waste generated and separately collected, closed-loop recycling capacities and textile waste exports. Our results show that sustainable textile waste management remains highly relevant for the sector. Still, without addressing in parallel prevention of textile waste generation via production and consumption patterns, a climate-neutral and circular textiles sector will be hard to achieve. Interventions in the waste management of textiles could reduce global warming impacts by up to 22.3 Mt CO2 per year, which translates to an 18% sector-wide impact by 2035. Depending on the intervention(s), the estimated required investment at present amounts to between 7 and 33 billion EUR. The study provides a valuable starting point for evidence-based decisions on future textile policymaking in Europe.