Designing a circular carbon and plastics economy for a sustainable future.

The linear production and consumption of plastics today is unsustainable. It creates large amounts of unnecessary and mismanaged waste, pollution and carbon dioxide emissions, undermining global climate targets and the Sustainable Development Goals. This Perspective provides an integrated technological, economic and legal view on how to deliver a circular carbon and plastics economy that minimizes carbon dioxide emissions. Different pathways that maximize recirculation of carbon (dioxide) between plastics waste and feedstocks are outlined, including mechanical, chemical and biological recycling, and those involving the use of biomass and carbon dioxide. Four future scenarios are described, only one of which achieves sufficient greenhouse gas savings in line with global climate targets. Such a bold system change requires 50% reduction in future plastic demand, complete phase-out of fossil-derived plastics, 95% recycling rates of retrievable plastics and use of renewable energy. It is hard to overstate the challenge of achieving this goal. We therefore present a roadmap outlining the scale and timing of the economic and legal interventions that could possibly support this. Assessing the service lifespan and recoverability of plastic products, along with considerations of sufficiency and smart design, can moreover provide design principles to guide future manufacturing, use and disposal of plastics.

Country-specific net-zero strategies of the pulp and paper industry.

The pulp and paper industry is an important contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions1,2. Country-specific strategies are essential for the industry to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, given its vast heterogeneities across countries3,4. Here we develop a comprehensive bottom-up assessment of net greenhouse gas emissions of the domestic paper-related sectors for 30 major countries from 1961 to 2019-about 3.2% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions from the same period5-and explore mitigation strategies through 2,160 scenarios covering key factors. Our results show substantial differences across countries in terms of historical emissions evolution trends and structure. All countries can achieve net-zero emissions for their pulp and paper industry by 2050, with a single measure for most developed countries and several measures for most developing countries. Except for energy-efficiency improvement and energy-system decarbonization, tropical developing countries with abundant forest resources should give priority to sustainable forest management, whereas other developing countries should pay more attention to enhancing methane capture rate and reducing recycling. These insights are crucial for developing net-zero strategies tailored to each country and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 for the pulp and paper industry.

Review on the Use of Heavy Metal Deposits from Water Treatment Waste towards Catalytic Chemical Syntheses.

The toxicity and persistence of heavy metals has become a serious problem for humans. These heavy metals accumulate mainly in wastewater from various industries' discharged effluents. The recent trends in research are now focused not only on the removal efficiency of toxic metal particles, but also on their effective reuse as catalysts. This review discusses the types of heavy metals obtained from wastewater and their recovery through commonly practiced physico-chemical pathways. In addition, it covers the advantages of the new system for capturing heavy metals from wastewater, as compared to older conventional technologies. The discussion also includes the various structural aspects of trapping systems and their hypothesized mechanistic approaches to immobilization and further rejuvenation of catalysts. Finally, it concludes with the challenges and future prospects of this research to help protect the ecosystem.

Initiatives to broaden safety concerns in anaesthetic practice: The green operating room.

The health sector is a major contributor to climate change through its large carbon footprint. Hospitals are highly energy and resource intensive. Operating rooms (ORs) contribute to a major part of these emissions because of anaesthetic gases, energy-intensive equipment and waste. Besides initiatives aimed to mitigate hospitals' climate footprints, health care professionals need to be involved in this process by changing their professional and personal behaviours without compromising the quality of care. Education on metrics (greenhouse gases), concepts (life cycle) and strategies to reduce the health care footprint would help professionals to commit themselves to the issue. The 5R's rule (reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink and research) used to promote an environmentally friendly way of life can be applied to the medical field and especially to the operating room and anaesthesia. When applied in the ORs, these strategies help question the use of disposable devices, attires and packaging, as well as our professional and personal behaviour. Greening the ORs requires the engagement of all professionals as well as other departments (pharmacy, hygiene) and management. Economic and social co-benefits are expected from this process.

Revealing the intersectoral material flow of plastic containers and packaging in Japan.

The Japanese government developed a strategy for plastics and laid out ambitious targets including the reduction of 25% for single-use plastic waste and the reuse/recycling of 60% for plastic containers and packaging by 2030. However, the current usage situation of single-use plastics including containers and packaging, which should be a basis of the strategy, is unclear. Here, we identify the nationwide material flow of plastics in Japan based on input-output tables. Of the domestic plastic demand of 8.4 Mt in 2015, 1.6 and 2.5 Mt were estimated to be for containers and packaging comprising household and industry inflows, respectively, through the purchase/procurement of products, services, and raw materials. Considering the current amount of recycling collected from households (1.0 Mt) and industries (0.3 to 0.4 Mt), the reuse/recycling target has already been achieved if the goal is limited to household container and packaging waste, as is the focus of Japan's recycling law. Conversely, the results indicate that it will be extremely difficult to reach the target collectively with industries. Therefore, it is essential that efforts be made throughout the entire supply chain. Food containers and packaging that flowed into the food-processing and food service sectors accounted for 15% of the inflow of containers and packaging into industries. Thus, the key to achieving the reuse/recycling target will comprise the collection of plastic food packaging from not only households but also the food industry. Furthermore, the collection of flexible plastic films used between industry sectors will put the target within reach.

Nursing entrepreneur care in social inequity contexts.

OBJECTIVES: to identify emancipatory strategies to strengthen the social protagonism of recyclable materials collectors in the light of entrepreneurial Nursing care. METHODS: qualitative study carried out in two stages: field approach from healthcare interventions in a Recycling Materials Association, and individual interviews conducted between October and December 2018. RESULTS: the analysis resulted in three thematic categories: Social contribution of recyclable materials collectors; From the assistentialist perception to entrepreneurial Nursing care; Emancipatory strategies of recycling work. Final Considerations: the emancipatory strategies to strengthen the social protagonism of recyclable materials collectors in the light of entrepreneurial Nursing care are related to the appreciation, recognition and enhancement of social work that has been already performed by these professionals, and to the creation of spaces for the socialization of experiences, expectations and perspectives.

Reducing Waste in the Clinical Setting.

Nurses have the capacity and opportunity to alter their organization's environmental footprint. This article addresses how they can strengthen efficiency and environmental sustainability initiatives in their facilities by engaging in, monitoring, and supporting environmentally friendly clinical practices and programs at the point of care. Included are practical tips and examples of projects in which nurses identified sources of waste-the relaundering of unused linens; disposal of unused products; and improper sorting of pharmaceutical waste, recycling, and regulated medical waste-and realized significant cost savings as well as improved efficiency and environmental sustainability.

Nursing entrepreneur care in social inequity contexts / El cuidado emprendedor de enfermería en contextos de inequidades sociales / O cuidado empreendedor de enfermagem em contextos de iniquidades sociais

ABSTRACT Objectives: to identify emancipatory strategies to strengthen the social protagonism of recyclable materials collectors in the light of entrepreneurial Nursing care. Methods: qualitative study carried out in two stages: field approach from healthcare interventions in a Recycling Materials Association, and individual interviews conducted between October and December 2018. Results: the analysis resulted in three thematic categories: Social contribution of recyclable materials collectors; From the assistentialist perception to entrepreneurial Nursing care; Emancipatory strategies of recycling work. Final Considerations: the emancipatory strategies to strengthen the social protagonism of recyclable materials collectors in the light of entrepreneurial Nursing care are related to the appreciation, recognition and enhancement of social work that has been already performed by these professionals, and to the creation of spaces for the socialization of experiences, expectations and perspectives.

RESUMEN Objetivos: identificar estrategias emancipadoras para el fortalecimiento del protagonismo social de recolectores de materiales reciclables, a la luz del cuidado emprendedor de Enfermería. Métodos: estudio cualitativo realizado en dos etapas: aproximación de campo en una Asociación de Materiales Reciclables, a partir de intervenciones de cuidado y, en la segunda, la realización de entrevistas individuales, entre los meses de octubre y diciembre de 2018. Resultados: el análisis ha resultado en tres categorías temáticas: Contribución social del recolector de materiales reciclables; De la percepción asistencialista al cuidado emprendedor de Enfermería; Estrategias emancipadoras del trabajo de reciclaje. Consideraciones Finales: las estrategias emancipadoras para fortalecer el protagonismo social de recolectores de materiales reciclables, a la luz del cuidado emprendedor de Enfermería, están relacionadas con la valorización, el reconocimiento y la potenciación del trabajo social que ya vienen siendo realizados por estos profesionales, y con la creación de espacios para la socialización de vivencias, expectativas y perspectivas futuras.

RESUMO Objetivos: identificar estratégias emancipadoras para fortalecer o protagonismo social de colecionadores de materiais recicláveis à luz do cuidado empreendedor de Enfermagem. Métodos: estudo qualitativo realizado em duas etapas: aproximação de campo em uma Associação de Materiais Recicláveis, a partir de intervenções de cuidado; e, na segunda, a realização de entrevistas individuais entre os meses de outubro e dezembro de 2018. Resultados: a análise resultou em três categorias temáticas: Contribuição social do colecionador de materiais recicláveis; Da percepção assistencialista ao cuidado empreendedor de Enfermagem; Estratégias emancipadoras do trabalho de reciclagem. Considerações Finais: as estratégias emancipadoras para fortalecer o protagonismo social de colecionadores de materiais recicláveis à luz do cuidado empreendedor de Enfermagem estão relacionadas com a valorização, o reconhecimento e a potencialização do trabalho social que já vem sendo realizado por estes profissionais, e com a criação de espaços para a socialização de vivências, expectativas e perspectivas futuras.

Plastic waste as a global challenge: are biodegradable plastics the answer to the plastic waste problem?

The strength, flexibility and light weight of traditional oil-derived plastics make them ideal materials for a large number of applications, including packaging, medical devices, building, transportation, etc. However, the majority of produced plastics are single-use plastics, which, coupled with a throw-away culture, leads to the accumulation of plastic waste and pollution, as well as the loss of a valuable resource. In this review we discuss the advances and possibilities in the biotransformation and biodegradation of oil-based plastics. We review bio-based and biodegradable polymers and highlight the importance of end-of-life management of biodegradables. Finally, we discuss the role of a circular economy in reducing plastic waste pollution.

Waking Up from Four Decades' Long Dream of Valorizing Agro-Food Byproducts: Toward Practical Applications of the Gained Knowledge.

The late 1970s was the onset of literature about the first research outputs on alternatives to create added-value to agro-food byproducts focused on the reduction of the dependency on raw materials and, simultaneously, helping to reduce the environmental impacts of the agricultural activities. This trend, increased over the years and during the past decade, has been boosted by the growing concern of the socio-economic impact of wastes from agro-food activities, however, with little success of the proposed applications. Throughout four decades an array of studies have emerged, aimed to gain evidence on the relevance of innovation in the agro-food industry, as well as to overcome this situation. To our knowledge, only a few cases, summarized in the present perspective, represent the main alternatives currently available for the valorization of agro-food byproducts, with indications of some constraints that need to be addressed, in the coming years, to obtain a real profit from these products.

Analysis on the implementation of a health improvement project (Garbage Clinical Insurance) in Indonesia: a literature review

Objective: Indonesia Medika has established "Garbage Clinical Insurance" (GCI), which enables the population below the poverty line (BPL) to obtain health insurance by donating their garbage to pay the premium. The objective of this paper was to critically examine the implementation of GCI in Indonesia by reviewing the background, effects, and sustainability of this program. Method: A literature search of studies related to GCI, other types of micro health insurance, and their applications in developing countries was conducted. Recent news (post 2014) related with the implementation of GCI was also consulted. Results: The literature revealed that the foundation of GCI was informed by the Declaration of Alma Ata with the ideal of making health care services accessible to everyone. Unlike most health insurance, the mechanisms of GCI seem less likely to trigger moral hazard among its beneficiaries. However, as a micro insurance program, the sustainability of GCI continues to be called into question. Conclusions: The critical analysis of the present study has highlighted the application of GCI, a micro health insurance initiative, and its relevance to Indonesia. GCI tended to work well as it was able to utilise Indonesia's social capital. However, GCI should aim to increase the benefits package available to its members in order to maintain the sustainability of the program

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