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Formal scavenging grants material circularity, but its potential contribution to the sustainability of a Supply Chain (SC) is far from being a trivial issue. Thus, this paper aims to understand what is the impact of formal scavenging on the sustainability of an SC and quantify it. Accordingly, a case study in an Italian Pulp and Paper circular SC was developed through the lenses of the Triple Bottom Line. This SC consists of five groups of stakeholders and a formal scavenger that collects and redistributes wastepaper. The findings show that, in a one-year time window, the formal scavenger generated an economic value of over €3 million and led to saving 718 tCO 2 e and an energy equivalent to that consumed by 1000 average Italian families every year. In addition, it created new stable jobs and directly contributed to decreasing the waste tax in the geographical area in which it operates. Furthermore, formal scavenging proved to be effective in building up SC resilience in the face of unexpected changes in the prices and volumes of wastepaper. The results contribute to framing formal scavenging as a collaboration-based solution to enable the achievement of sustainability benefits in closed-loop SCs and provide actionable suggestions for SC managers and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher education institutions (HEIs) can play a key role in the transition to the circular economy (CE) given their missions, characteristics and role in shaping the coming generations of citizens and leaders. The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive examination of HEIs as microcosms for transitioning to circular models. Through a semi-systematic literature review, it focuses on the systemic transformation of HEIs and uses quantitative and qualitative content analysis to map 72 research papers covering the topic. The paper also introduces a methodological approach to address the complex nature of HEIs as intricate systems. The analysis reveals the presence of six main themes relevant to CE implementation in HEIs: education and research; campus physical facilities; tools and activities for greening the campus; material flows and waste management; collaboration, stakeholder engagement and behaviours; and frameworks for CE implementation. The analysis showed a growing interest in CE implementation in HEIs and evidence of the potential of HEIs to foster the transition towards it. However, an organized approach is currently lacking as is an understanding of how to apply CE practices within HEI systems. Recommendations for future research include comparing academic research findings with grey literature from HEI networks and other credible organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK is facing tremendous challenges in tackling food waste diversion from landfill. Whilst much effort has been made to prevent food waste, there is still a lack of attention and strategic approach in dealing with resource recovery and valorisation of food waste. This paper presents a systematic framework for sustainable organic waste management and valorisation in the UK through (i) review of current policy framework; (ii) analysis of resource recovery potential from food waste at national, community and organisational levels; (iii) proposition of alternative waste management strategies; and (iv) examination of challenges and opportunities with respect to economic, environment and social dimensions of sustainability of waste management strategies. The paper explores valorisation of source-segregated food waste and mixed waste from the supermarket and households into electricity and transportation fuels, through partially and completely decentralised configurations using anaerobic digestion and gasification technologies. This study demonstrates a potential for reducing the cost of electricity and greenhouse gas emissions of one supermarket store by 12% when adopting partially decentralised food waste anaerobic digestion strategy, and full substitution of fossil fuel based electricity with net surplus renewable electricity generation through complete decentralisation of mixed waste gasification. Therefore, a more integrated, circular and advanced technological approach in waste management should be undertaken as it can lead to a wider range of socio-economic and environmental advantages to the local community, highly essential in the UK. Image 1 • Valorisation of waste closer to the source promotes resource circularity. • A synergistic approach is robust in addressing challenges in waste management. • Technology and configuration determine the viability of valorisation strategies. • Decentralised waste management enhances community participation. • A supportive fiscal incentive scheme promotes uptake of waste valorisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper deals with the efficiency of the 28 European Union (EU) Member States for the years 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014 by employing Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and directional distance function to tackle undesirable outputs. Eight parameters are used, namely municipal solid waste (MSW) generation, employment rate, capital formation, gross domestic product (GDP), population density and for the first time sulphur oxide (SOx), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions from the waste sector for the relevant countries. The innovation of this paper lies in the fact that both new parameters are taken into account and that diverse modelling techniques have been employed in terms of the outputs and inputs used. The empirical results obtained were bias corrected in order to get the correct efficiency scores for each country studied. Overall the most efficient countries were shown to be Germany, Ireland and the UK. These results were then reviewed against the recycling rate of each country for the examined time periods. The recycling rate actually depicts the DEA results, namely more efficient countries seem to have a higher recycling rate too. Moreover the DEA efficiency results were contrasted to the overall treatment options used in the countries under consideration. Overall it is noticed that countries employing all four treatment options with high use of more sustainable ones and decrease in the use of landfill are the ones that also proved to be efficient according to DEA. These results resemble the image of a financial crisis hit Europe which tried to take advantage of the more sustainable treatment options in order to achieve a transition to a circular economy, whereas the value of products, materials and resources needs to be maintained in the economy for as long as possible and the generation of waste minimised. This can be a valuable lesson for policy makers in the design and application of national and EU legislations and directives in order to achieve also the targets towards a circular economy driven Europe. Highlights • Employing DEA to assess national waste generation. • Three novel environmental production frameworks designed. • Directional distance function to tackle undesirable outputs. • Comparison of results with treatment options and recycling rates. • Policy implications under a circular economy approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the Circular Economy (CE) has gained attention as a strategy for achieving sustainable development through cleaner production and reducing waste and pollution. At the same time, digital technologies are recognized as crucial sustainability drivers by enabling efficiency, collaboration, and innovation. This research paper explores the factors that support Green Entrepreneurship (GE) and digitalization in the context of CE and Waste Management (WM) in Indian manufacturing "Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises" (MSMEs). Further, the study prioritizes, establishes a contextual relationship, and clusters the GE factors that enable digitalization in the CE and WM of Indian manufacturing MSMEs. To meet research goals, the study uses a mixed-methods approach that includes a literature review, qualitative interviews with MSME managers, and theoretical support (stakeholder theory, resource-based view, dynamic capability theory, met expectation theory, and upper echelons theory) to find the enablers. Further, two-phase "Multi-Criteria Decision Making" (MCDM) tools are utilized. Initially, the quantitative "Best-Worst Method" (BWM) was used for ranking, and then "Total Interpretive Structural Modeling" (TISM) was used to establish a mutual relationship among the enablers. The strength of relationships among the enablers was established based on "dependence power" (DEP) and "driving power" (DRP). The findings through BWM analysis show that among the main category, technology-based enablers, and among sub-categories, top management and organizational coordination are the high-priority enablers/sub-enablers to optimize sustainable action. The findings also suggest that technology infrastructure for cleaner and sustainable manufacturing, knowledge of green entrepreneurs, training, the dynamic capacities of digitalization towards a CE, subsidies, and finance are driving enablers. The research contributes to understanding the enabling factors of GE and digitalization and their interdependencies for CE and sustainable development. [Display omitted] • Green Entrepreneurship and Digitalization drive Sustainable Waste Management and Circular Economy. • Top management and organizational coordination are crucial for sustainable action. • Infrastructure and knowledge drive digitalization in the Circular Economy. • Digitalization and green entrepreneurship complement the circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid population growth and urbanisation have accelerated waste generation, and effective waste management has become a major challenge worldwide. With advances in technology and management methods, waste management strategies have begun embracing digitalisation, leveraging the Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics, cloud/edge computing, machine learning, 5G communication, and blockchain technologies. Amongst them, the blockchain technology has the structural features of achieving information security and integrity without central guarantees. Blockchain also meets the data record/storage needs of waste management and the design of new mechanisms for effective waste management. These benefits make blockchain an attractive technology in the field of waste management, with researchers and practitioners alike investigating its broad applications to support sustainable waste management. However, this emerging technology has not yet been widely accepted by potential users. To further champion the application of blockchain technology, this review paper provides a systematic overview of the various pathways in which the technology has been applied in the waste management industry and further discusses its related challenges and opportunities via considering the promising prospect of combining blockchain technology with IoT, artificial intelligence (AI) and life cycle assessment (LCA). This review also provides insights for interpreting some emerging applications of blockchain in the field of waste management and clarifying the research paths in the context of blockchain, digitalised waste management, and circular economy. [Display omitted] • Impacts of blockchain technology on waste management have been substantial. • Recent development from blockchain's functional perspectives was surveyed. • There is a long way towards blockchain-based sustainable waste management. • Relevant challenges and opportunities in blockchain applications were discussed. • Outlooks in digitalised waste management and circular economy were clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To mitigate climate change while catering to the needs of a growing population, cities need to find smarter ways to manage their resources, while reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. Since waste management and circular economy will be instrumental in this endeavour, the current level of circularity in cities, the environmental impact of related activities and sharable best practices need to be explored. This paper examines the roadmap to zero emissions of the 362 cities that expressed interest in the Horizon Europe 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission. Based on an unprecedented suite of city inputs, this study answers a set of research questions so far unaddressed due to the lack of a suitable dataset. The analysis focusses on a) current actions undertaken by cities in achieving a circular economy and reducing/optimising waste streams, b) envisioned circular actions in supporting climate neutrality by 2030, and c) urban sectors and metabolic flows for which circularity has a particularly high potential to mitigate climate change. Best practices are captured to create an informative set of actions aimed at policy-makers and at encouraging peer-to-peer learning. Finally, the barriers to incrementing circular approaches that emerge from the cities' self-assessments are compared to those identified in existing scientific literature to provide input for a more comprehensive conceptual framework. Overall, this study distils how circular economy imaginaries are translated into local governance and policy-making by focussing on a large group of cities. This is key to truly understand why some initiatives fail and others succeed and can inform all relevant stakeholders on the next steps to take. • Circular economy can be a strategy for cities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. • Data from 362 cities pursuing climate neutrality is analysed. • Policy evolution, current/future actions, and barriers for circularity are examined. • Digital solutions, co-creation with citizens, and innovation are key strategies. • Frontiers for circularity are in construction, bioeconomy, and valorisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Huge depletion of raw materials, inefficient waste management practices, increasing population and consumerist lifestyles, are even more coping companies with the adoption of Circular Economy (CE) principles in their Business Models (BMs). However, benefits coming from the implementation of CE within companies are not always clear to managers. To this aim, the paper has a multiple purpose. Firstly, the work provides to academics the list of the benefits deriving from CE adoption through a systematic literature review, declined under the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) perspective of sustainability, also by validating and grounding them through four practical use cases. Secondly, the work links CE benefits with a set of CBMs – based on Product-Service Systems (PSSs) – through a set of interviews with experts belonging to the Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) sector, trying to support industrials in both i) detecting benefits related with the adoption of CBMs, ii) increasing their awareness on benefits and iii) reaching them into practice. Given that PSS-based CBMs are renown both by the scientific and industrial community as the most suitable ones to achieve circularity, they were considered as the most appropriate to adopt also in this work. Finally, four use cases coming from the WEEE sector demonstrate how to link CBMs with CE benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To fully contribute to sustainable development, circular economy has to devote more attention to social inclusion. This paper thoroughly analyzed the literature, answering the research question: how is circular economy embracing social inclusion? The research design applied quantitative and qualitative strategies. Bibliometric quantitative analysis with the aid of VosViewer, the RStudio software, and Bibliometrix Package were employed. An inductive content analysis was undertaken to analyze the themes of circular economy and social inclusion, applying NVivo software. The results brought out six clusters: (i) reverse logistics and recycling, (ii) circular economy and innovation, (iii) social innovation, (iv) sustainable supply chains, (v) bioeconomy, and (vi) closed-loop supply chain. Our findings showed that the circular strategies of reuse and reduce were the focus of the surveyed literature, while consumers and communities were the key stakeholders addressed. Recycling was directly linked to waste management and the inclusion of waste pickers in developing countries. As future research themes, it highlighted more theoretical and empirical research about community and consumer engagement in circular practices, besides the importance of entrepreneurship and social innovation to intensify circular practices embracing social inclusion. • The literature focused on reuse and reduce as circular strategies. • The key stakeholders addressed were consumers and communities. • Recycling was linked to waste management and the inclusion of waste pickers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract European countries are attempting to promote sustainable development by transitioning from a linear to a circular economy, where waste is to be prevented and recycling activities are promoted. This paper studies the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies for the packaging waste in two later European adopter countries of waste management policies: Portugal and Spain. The main goal is to evaluate whether EPR policies in both countries have achieved their basic two goals: 1) reduction of waste, and 2) increase recycling activities. Two case-studies were built based on interviews made to main waste management stakeholders. The analysis shows that the implementation of the EPR policies have had a positive impact throughout the years in both countries. Regarding the waste reduction goal, the systems have still not been completely able to detach packaging waste production from economic growth, but they have been able to promote material usage reduction directly through the Green dot fee model adopted. Regarding the increasing of recycling activities, both countries have been able to increase such rates throughout the years, in the direction of the EU targets. Highlights • EPR policies implemented in Spain and Portugal are evaluated. • EPR policies have contributed to packaging waste reduction and increase recycling activities. • EPR policies are having a positive impact throughout the years in both countries. • Some challenges still need to be faced: eco-design promotion and packaging life-cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows how to constructively engage with waste and resource management frameworks, by clarifying their role in the societal discourse on waste and resources, providing insight into their step-based structure, and how they draw on different definitions of ‘waste’ and ‘resource.’ Through use of the concepts of ‘frame,’ ‘collective action frame’ and ‘logics,’ a language and conceptual toolbox is made available that facilitates a constructive debate around such frameworks. Ten waste and resource management frameworks are included here, among which are the five frameworks that are part of the synthesis of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Circular Economy framework: Cradle-to-Cradle™ by Braungart and McDonough, the Performance Economy by Walter Stahel, the Blue Economy by Gunter Pauli, Regenerative Design by John Lyle and the Industrial Symbiosis framework. A case is made for the careful consideration, creation, use and further development of such frameworks and directions are provided for the further development of the CE concept into a robust concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the role of small entrepreneurial companies and their partnerships with large corporations to advance the circular economy (CE). The authors provide insights from a U.S.-based empirical study that involved 12 companies and examined the emerging drivers, current challenges and future opportunities for advancing waste repurposing and product reuse. Many large companies fail to incorporate CE principles into their business strategy due to lack of mandates, costs, logistical hurdles and inertia. This presents an opportunity for entrepreneurial companies with innovative business models to fill the gap and provide critical links for corporations in reverse supply chains while creating new business opportunities with social benefits. The study found that despite the lack of federal regulations in the U.S. a growing number of corporations are partnering with entrepreneurs to reduce waste and advance product reuse. Key drivers for such trends include sustainability commitments and zero waste goals by companies and municipalities, European Union and U.S. state mandates, reputation and the growing focus on local sourcing. Technology, knowledge, and strategic partnerships between entrepreneurs and corporations play a critical role in reducing financial costs, time, energy, environmental impacts and resources, thus helping establish viable business models. The authors propose a new framework for corporate-entrepreneur collaborations to advance a CE. The study contributes to the research on the relationship between entrepreneurial innovation and the development of CE principles within corporate supply chains, a field that is still in its infant stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses household behaviour as response to changes in waste management systems. The paper discusses the results of a case study from Vellinge municipality (Sweden), where the introduction of separate food waste collection is thought to have a role in reducing the total amount of household waste and improving the sorting of packaging waste. The study relies on data from official waste statistics and a survey of 117 municipal residents focusing on households' perceptions, attitudes and self-reflected changes in waste sorting behaviour. The respondents mentioned the increased environmental awareness and the convenience of food waste sorting among the primary reasons for the perceived changes in personal waste sorting routines. The study also tested the significance of other variables, such as income, employment, economic activity, socio-demographics, infrastructure, waste tariffs, illegal dumping, and awareness raising campaigns. Most of the variables were static and none showed sufficient correlation to the observed reduction of waste collection rates and the improvements in sorting other waste fractions. The analysed case had particularly high income levels, which were the main dynamic variable under study. The analysis suggests that we may be observing an example of a decoupling between economic growth and waste generation rates. This observation is explained by the Kuznets phenomena and it is being discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing schemes of solid waste handling have been improved implementing advanced systems for recovery and reuse of various materials. Nowadays, the ‘zero waste’ concept is becoming more topical through the reduction of disposed waste. Recovery of metals, nutrients and other materials that can be returned to the material cycles still remain as a challenge for future. Landfill mining (LFM) is one of the approaches that can deal with former dumpsites, and derived materials may become important for circular economy within the concept ‘beyond the zero waste’. Perspectives of material recovery can include recycling of critical industrial metals, including rare earth elements (REEs). The LFM projects performed in the Baltic Region along with a conventional source separation of iron-scrap, plastics etc. have shown that the potential of fine-grained fractions (including clay and colloidal matter) of excavated waste have considerably large amounts of potentially valuable metals and distinct REEs. In this paper analytical screening studies are discussed extending the understanding of element content in fine fraction of waste derived from excavated, separated and screened waste in a perspective of circular economy. Technological feasibility was evaluated by using modified sequential extraction technique where easy extractable amount of metals can be estimated. Results revealed that considerable concentrations of Mn (418–823 mg/kg), Ni (41–84 mg/kg), Co (10.7–19.3 mg/kg) and Cd (1.0–3.0 mg/kg) were detected in fine fraction (<10 mm) of waste sampled from Högbytorp landfill, while Cr (49–518 mg/kg) and Pb (30–264 mg/kg) were found in fine fraction (<10 mm) of waste from Torma landfill revealing wide heterogeneity of tested samples. Waste should become a utilizable resource closing the loop of anthropogenic material cycle as the hidden potential of valuable materials in dumps is considerable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews studies of the environmental impact of textile reuse and recycling, to provide a summary of the current knowledge and point out areas for further research. Forty-one studies were reviewed, whereof 85% deal with recycling and 41% with reuse (27% cover both reuse and recycling). Fibre recycling is the most studied recycling type (57%), followed by polymer/oligomer recycling (37%), monomer recycling (29%), and fabric recycling (14%). Cotton (76%) and polyester (63%) are the most studied materials. The reviewed publications provide strong support for claims that textile reuse and recycling in general reduce environmental impact compared to incineration and landfilling, and that reuse is more beneficial than recycling. The studies do, however, expose scenarios under which reuse and recycling are not beneficial for certain environmental impacts. For example, as benefits mainly arise due to the avoided production of new products, benefits may not occur in cases with low replacement rates or if the avoided production processes are relatively clean. Also, for reuse, induced customer transport may cause environmental impact that exceeds the benefits of avoided production, unless the use phase is sufficiently extended. In terms of critical methodological assumptions, authors most often assume that textiles sent to recycling are wastes free of environmental burden, and that reused products and products made from recycled materials replace products made from virgin fibres. Examples of other content mapped in the review are: trends of publications over time, common aims and geographical scopes, commonly included and omitted impact categories, available sources of primary inventory data, knowledge gaps and future research needs. The latter include the need to study cascade systems, to explore the potential of combining various reuse and recycling routes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transformation of the energy systems encompasses technological, societal, cultural, economic, and environmental aspects and calls for a more important role for citizens and communities. Bioenergy systems are subjects to legal, technical, environmental, economic, and social settings. At the regional level, bioenergy can incorporate agricultural traditions and offer waste-management solutions. Many are the stakeholders, with different perceptions and sometimes, conflictual interests. This study is a multidisciplinary, comprehensive review of recently published papers, on legal, technical, economic, and environmental layers of the bioenergy. It highlights the role of bioenergy in the transition to a Circular waste-based Bioeconomy. Three dimensions of sustainability (environmental, economic, and social) were discussed and some thermodynamic (energy, exergy, emergy) and environmental indicators applied to bioenergy systems, were cited. Findings conclude that in the context of Circular Bioeconomy, global bioenergy sector may face challenges, due to the new demand for biomaterials from the same sources. Bioenergy sustainable pathways should be selected at the base of high efficiency, towards closing loops and in the concept of cascade and integrated biorefineries. At the regional level, bioenergy systems may be integrated with the cascade biorefinery models or can offer waste management solutions by stand-alone, tailor-made decentralized systems. In redesigning the bioenergy sector, local knowledge, public health, and community's resilience should not be neglected, while social-environmental benefits should be considered in addressing the viability of bioenergy plants. Social acceptance can be improved by a better understanding of the scientific and technical issues and by developing a broader consciousness of the planet and life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While gypsum can effectively be recycled, most gypsum waste (GW) is currently landfilled in the European Union. In order to achieve higher recovery rates and promote a closed-loop supply chain, it is necessary that stakeholders can implement best practices, in particular from waste production to waste processing, processes that are part of the end-of-life (EoL) stage. In this stage, waste production cannot be reduced, and therefore the priority should be to appropriately collect and recover EoL products. The aim of the paper is to investigate best practices for the management of EoL gypsum in a circular economy. To achieve this, best practices for the management of EoL construction products are selected from the literature, adapted to the case of EoL gypsum and subjected to stakeholder consultation. Results revealed significant differences in the waste management practices between two target groups: gypsum recycling and non-gypsum recycling countries. It is concluded that three best practices are fundamental to promote a circular economy for gypsum products: on-site segregation of GW, clear waste acceptance criteria and clear recycled gypsum quality criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large quantities of food waste challenge sustainable development and there is significant value in the proper treatment of such waste. There are several food waste treatment technologies available, and food waste valorization requires planning for the collection, transportation, pre-treatment, treatment, and product sales. Managers need comprehensive system management objectives and strategies to promote the circular economy. To determine the optimal network design for food waste management systems, this paper develops a multi-objective mixed integer non-linear model from economic, energy, environmental, and social perspectives that integrates different treatment technologies into the three-phase separation pre-treatment. The proposed model was applied to a food waste management system in Chongqing, China, and the effects of different decision preferences of the managers, the water and grease proportion in the food waste on the optimization results were analyzed and discussed. It was found that different grease and water proportions influenced the optimal application of the technologies and system management decisions. With a 10% to 15% grease proportion, composting was seen to be more suitable than incineration or anaerobic digestion treatments, and the simultaneous application of multiple technologies was seen to be beneficial for food waste management systems. • A food waste system management model that integrates economic, environmental, energy, and social objectives is proposed. • Multi-technology integration based on three-phase separation pretreatment is beneficial. • Grease and water proportions in food waste affect the optimal management strategies. • Appropriate technology application can positively contribute to the achievement of objectives. • Decision-making preferences of decision makers can affect food waste recovery rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This VSI focuses on what cross-cutting insights might be gained from research to increase the energy/materials circularity and the contribution of eco-innovation, cleaner consumption, and waste management to produce a logical body of knowledge that may lead to increased resilience and a sustainable Planet. The articles' collection shows development trends of sustainable, cleaner production under the Special Issue: A Resilient and Sustainable World. Some selected d papers have been presented and emerged from the 10th and 11th International Workshop on Advances in Cleaner Production (IWACP), held in hybrid mode in Italy (Ferrata and Florence). The contribution of the articles in this Special Issue could be divided into efforts toward sustainable and cleaner production, aiming (i) Eco-innovation for cleaner production and circular economy, (ii) Proper monitoring and identification of cleaner production, circular economy, and eco-innovation, (iii) cleaner production, circular economy and eco-innovation targeting social wellbeing and cleaner environment, (iv) cleaner production, circular economy and eco-innovation targeting emission reduction, and (v) cleaner production, circular economy and eco-innovation targeting improved and optimized production processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns about the increasing global consumption of non-renewable resources as well as shortages of primary raw materials and reduction of space available for final disposal of waste are raising important issues for the society. Additionally, the unsustainable treatment of resources belongs to the main concerns of the EU, resulting in the development of strategies for maximizing recycling rates in order to minimize environmental impacts and energy consumption caused by extraction of primary materials. In this paper, the Material Passport (MP) method, which evaluates the recycling potential and environmental impact of materials embedded in buildings, is demonstrated on a use case - a demolition object, in order to test its applicability at the end-of-life stage as well as to assess the recycling potential of the existing building. Three acquisition methods were applied on the use case in order to obtain information on the material composition as well as geometrical information: laser scanning, demolition acquisition (DA) and Urban Mining assessment (UMA), with regards to the quality and separability of the materials. A BIM-Model (Building Information Modelling) was generated, integrating the acquired data, as well as serving as knowledge database, from which element lists with incorporated materials were exported and mapped to the regarding recycling grade. As a result, an MP is generated for the exterior walls and the foundation, delivering information on the total masses, the share of recycling and waste masses, as well as the environmental impacts. The recycling potential of the exterior walls is ~52%, whereby the foundation has a recycling potential of ~20%. The existence of an MP at the end-of-life stage of a building can be seen as an outstanding advantage regarding recycling and reuse, thus supporting circularity and sustainability in the construction sector. • A thorough acquisition of existing buildings is required for the MP. • The MP enables the assessment of existing buildings' recycling potential. • The MP can serve as valuable documentation for a transition to circular economy. • The BIM-based method enables an extraction of exact quantities of a building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A circular economy has been proposed as a sustainable alternative to our current linear economic system, mainly by recirculating material resources for new product development. To understand resource recirculation in practice, this paper analyses over 50 examples of products developed from discarded materials, categorising them into the recovery routes described in the circular economy literature. The examples were obtained during interviews with waste management professionals and designers who had developed products with discards. Practical challenges to implementing a circular economy were identified based on the example categorisation and comments from the interviews. The main difference observed was that the examples mostly recirculate resources to make different types of products, whereas a circular economy requires manufacturing companies to take back their own products to secure their material resources. This is partly because in practice the material collection system in place is waste management, rather than manufacturing-centred take-back systems. A revised model for recovery routes in society in which waste management is allocated an important role in facilitating material recirculation is therefore presented. The study highlights that current product design is facing a new challenge of anticipating social, economic and environmental challenges to realise the goals of a circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast and uncontrolled population growth, combined with increasing urbanisation and the negative effects of modern lifestyles, has left cities facing numerous challenges. One of the challenges is the production of urban waste on a large scale. According to goals established in Directive (2008)/851, all European Member States should ensure that biowaste is separated at the source by December 31, 2023. This directive aims to improve household and organic waste programmes and ensure a progressive transition towards a circular economy. In this context, the active participation of citizens is fundamental. This paper aims to identify, analyse, and integrate into a comprehensive framework, how psychosocial factors have been presented in the literature. Socio-demographic characteristics and communicational/educational interventions on household organic waste are also examined, along with how circular economy principles can be applied to organic waste management. A systematic literature review was performed to develop the new framework. The results of the study highlight that researchers who have published on the subject have mainly focused on infrastructural issues, and only 23% of the reviewed articles addressed one or more psychosocial factors. Moreover, household, organic waste separation behaviour is influenced by levels of education as well as perceived convenience and social norms. On the other hand, the results show that it is not possible to state with scientific precision the effective impact of communication and education campaigns on this type of behaviour. The proposed framework is useful to guide policymakers in defining strategies for waste prevention. Furthermore, researchers and practitioners can benefit, since scientific knowledge on household organic waste has been summarised and conceptualised, providing recommendations for future research paths. [Display omitted] • Systematic literature review on household organic waste management. • Psychosocial and socio-demographic factors influence organic waste management. • A new framework was proposed to identify dimensions' impact on Directive 2008/851. • The framework supports the definition of strategies for organic waste management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular Economy (CE) implementation is considered an instrumental strategy to help reaching the world's resource, energy, and climate mitigation targets, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030. However, major barriers must be overcome to facilitate CE implementation in industry such as cultural, market, regulatory and technological considerantions (Kirchherr et al., 2018). Improving management systems within industrial companies is crucial when implementing effective CE solutions in compliance with existing industrial standards such as quality and environmental management systems. However, it is not yet common practice yet due to the lack of standardized, suitable, and easy-to-use supporting analytical tools. This paper attempts to fill this gap by presenting Industrial Circular Economy Questionnaire (ICEQ) , a self-diagnosis questionnaire built upon the revision of industrial harmonized standards and, academic literature on business-level CE assessment tools. ICEQ , compiling a set of 165 questions for company self-CE assessment, was applied to 30 industrial companies belonging to 17 economic sectors (automotive, machining and metalworking transformation, waste management, machine tool, etc.) in the Basque Autonomous Community (BAC) in Spain. The automotive sector stands out with 70% of circularity while Machining and metalworking transformation only has 34%, showing that the automotive sector is more conscious of CE since they must comply with End-of-Life Vehicles (EoLV) legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A successful transition to a Circular Economy, as promoted by the European Commission, requires solid information on the future availability of anthropogenic resources. Anthropogenic resources are human-made material stocks and flows, such as old landfills, buildings or different waste streams. A case study approach was adopted in this paper to investigate the role of the classification of anthropogenic resources in supporting the transition to a Circular Economy. The first objective is to identify the motivation and scope of the reviewed case studies. The second objective is to investigate to what extent they address the challenges linked to anthropogenic resource recovery. The third objective is to elicit in how far resource classification can contribute to promote anthropogenic resource recovery and to support the EU Action Plan for the Circular Economy. This paper includes case studies that classify materials recovered from old landfills, built infrastructure, national secondary metal stocks, electrical and electronic waste and waste incineration residues. With respect to anthropogenic resource recovery, five areas were identified, in which resource classification can have a meaningful contribution in the future, namely in knowledge management, research and development, policy support, (pre-) feasibility studies, and marketing. In a wider Circular Economy context, resource classification can play a key role in assessing anthropogenic resources in analogy to natural resources for integrated resource management. Further, it can be useful to improve communication along the value chain, e.g., to optimize waste management operations, processes and products for enhanced resource recovery and recyclability. Resource classification can also help compare different Circular Economy options. The paper concludes that a standardized classification, which encompasses guidance on detailed assessment of different types of anthropogenic resources, is necessary. This should take into account the fact that the availability of resources does not solely depend on the material quantities, but also on the technical, operational, economic, social, environmental and regulatory conditions which cumulatively enable or prevent recovery of these resources. • Information on available anthropogenic resources is key for a Circular Economy. • Anthropogenic resources can be assessed in analogy to natural resources. • Reviewed studies classify old landfills, built infrastructure, metal stocks, e-waste and waste incineration residues. • Different Circular Economy options could be compared in the future. • A standardized classification methodology for different types of anthropogenic resources is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaerobic digestion of bioplastics' wastes may represent a valuable disposal strategy for these important substitutes for plastics, in order to reduce their leakage into the environment and to produce bioenergy in the form of biomethane, contributing positively to the sustainability of the entire bioplastics' life chain. Only lab-scale data about bioplastics' anaerobic degradability and biomethane production have been produced until now, using approaches far from full-scale conditions. This paper presents a novel approach in studying the potential of bioplastics to produce biomethane because a pioneering methodology was adopted, allowing acquisition of full-scale data that can be useful to further attest environmental and economic sustainability in recovering bioplastics' wastes. A simple and replicable experimental approach was proposed to studying bioplastic degradability during anaerobic digestion, which consisted of placing the bioplastics into a full-scale digester within perforated steel boxes. Three different bioplastics items (one starch-based and two polylactic-acid based) were co-digested with organic wastes in a real anaerobic digestion plant using the real process parameters (thermophilic temperature for 30 days of hydraulic retention time followed by 30 days of mesophilic maturation). The experiments were replicated at laboratory-scale to evaluate the potential for biomethane recovery from bioplastics degradation. Laboratory-scale data did not differ from the data coming from the full-scale experiment, i.e., bioplastic degradation was not affected by the reactor volume. Bioplastics showed an average degradation of 27 ± 5% on a weight basis and a different degradation mechanism for the two types studied was found through Fourier Transform-InfraRed spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Starch-based bioplastics showed a quick consumption of the starch component, followed by a slow degradation of the polyester fraction. Polylactic acid bioplastics were degraded without chemical changes to their composition. In both laboratory-scale and full-scale experiments, temperature was a key parameter affecting bioplastics' degradation, i.e., thermophilic temperatures were needed to obtain a significant degradation. Biomethane potential determination of the bioplastics (135 ± 23 NLCH 4 kg Volatile Solids−1 as average at the end of the thermophilic digestion) proved that anaerobic digestion of bioplastics may be a sustainable approach, reducing bioplastic leakage and producing bioenergy (biogas), respecting Circular Economy principles. Anaerobic digestion may represent a valorisation treatment for bioplastics' wastes contributing positively to the sustainability of the entire bioplastics' life chain. [Display omitted] • First assessment of bioplastics' anaerobic degradation using a full-scale approach. • Starch-based and polylactic acid-based bioplastics degrade differently during AD. • Bioplastics' anaerobic degradation may enhance biomethane production from AD plant. • AD of bioplastics can avoid their leakage into natural environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of circular economy (CE) is to an increasing extent treated as a solution to series of challenges such as waste generation, resource scarcity and sustaining economic benefits. However the concept of circularity is not of novel as such. Specific circumstances and motivations have stimulated ideas relevant to circularity in the past through activities such as reuse, remanufacturing or recycling. Main objectives of this work are: to provide a comprehensive review of research efforts encompassing aspects of resources scarcity, waste generation and economic advantages; to explore the CE landscape in the context of these three aspects especially when they are considered simultaneously; based on an idea of a comprehensive CE framework, propose an implementation strategy using top-down and bottom-up approach in a concurrent manner. To fulfill this objective a comprehensive review of state-of-the-art research is carried out to understand different ideas relevant to CE, motivation for the research and context of their recurrence. Main contributions of this paper are a comprehensive CE framework and a practical implementation strategy for a regenerative economy and natural environment. The framework emphasizes on a combined view of three main aspects i.e. environment, resources and economic benefits. It also underlines that joint support of all stakeholders is necessary in order to successfully implement the CE concept at large scale. The proposed framework and implementation strategy also identify new avenues for future research and practice in the field of CE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last decade has seen a new wave of ambitious policies in order to address the mounting ecological damage caused by high levels of consumerism and the depletion of resources to manufacture short life-cycle products. In this paper ‘Zero Waste’ and ‘Sustainable Materials Management’ are examined as prominent labels of an evolving waste policy discourse towards waste prevention and reduction and material cycles. Using discourse analysis key documents are comparatively assessed, presenting the origins of these two concepts and how they entered the waste policy domain. The different framing tactics and governance models are then presented. The findings demonstrate that the different discourse paradigms around the concept of ‘waste’ and ‘materials’, influences what policy initiatives, measurement tools and outcomes are pursued. Although Zero Waste and Sustainable Materials Management are gaining popularity as indicators of shifting waste policy towards Sustainable Production and Consumption Policy, particularly with increasing discussion and application of Circular Economy governance models in Europe and China, a distinction still exists between the conceptualisation and implementation within and across the two concepts. It is in this transition towards a Circular Economy that it is valuable to review the role of policy labels, keywords and framing context in waste policy and the ability of enhanced waste management to assist in the development of more sustainable and environmentally acceptable economic and social behaviour models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent global diffusion of circular economy regulatory policy packages (CERPPs) raises questions over their extent, composition, and potential effectiveness. While research into circular economy (CE) regulation is growing, a dearth of analyses of the optimal design of CE policy packages presents a clear gap in the literature. This paper therefore surveys current waste management policy to identify the degree to which circular economy principles are being translated into public policy globally. Examining resource use and waste management policy in 60 countries, the paper first provides a snapshot of the global spread of CE policy packages. Secondly, the assessment framework is applied to three case studies of recent CE policy packages from Finland, Greece and South Korea. These cases fall some way short of theoretical optimality, suggesting that long-term CERPP effectiveness is questionable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution starts from the broad perspective of the global material cycles, analysing the main resource and pollution issues world-wide from the viewpoint of the disturbances to these cycles caused by human activities. The issues are analysed in the light of the currently developing COVID-19 pandemic with the resulting behavioural and business pattern changes. It has been revealed in the analysis of previous reviews that there is a need for a more comprehensive analysis of the resource and environmental impact contributions by industrial and urban processes, as well as product supply chains. The review discusses the recent key developments in the areas of Process Integration and Optimisation, the assessment and reduction of process environmental impacts, waste management and integration, green technologies. That is accompanied by a review of the papers in the current Virtual Special Issue of the Journal of Cleaner Production which is dedicated to the extended articles developed on the basis of the papers presented at the 22nd Conference on Process Integration for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction. The follow-up analysis reveals significant advances in the efficiency and emission cleaning effects of key processes, as well as water/wastewater management and energy storage. The further analysis of the developments identifies several key areas for further research and development – including increases of the safety and robustness of supply networks for products and services, increase of the resources use efficiency of core production and resource conversion processes, as well as the emphasis on improved product and process design for minimising product wastage. • Overview of advances in waste reuse and cleaning, energy storage, renewables. • COVID-19 facilitated increasing the safety and robustness of supply networks. • Resource efficiency increase of core production and resource conversion processes. • Assessment of GHG footprints and suggestions for emissions reduction. • VSI PRES′19 overview considering the impact of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 21 s t century globalization and growth are being accompanied by a tremendous use of residential building materials and has increased the demand for aggregates in concrete-based materials. In the context of France, natural aggregate quarries are dispatched throughout the various regions and generally seem to satisfy the need for aggregates in residential construction. Such however is not the case in those fast growing cities/regions with few natural aggregate quarries. As a follow-up to the waste framework directive 2008/98/EC urging better resource use, this paper explores the ability to achieve circularity practices in residential building materials in French regions. To do so, the framework proposed in this paper aims to close the loop of residential building materials in France and reduce its natural aggregates' consumption. Stock and flows of materials consumed, construction and demolition wastes generated and recycled materials from this sector were assessed through a regional-level material flow analysis. Based on our results, an average reduction in regional natural aggregate extraction of 20 % is obtained when using stock and flows of recycled aggregates stemming from the residential component of construction and demolition wastes and re-injected in new dwellings. The residential wastes employed to reduce natural resource extraction include: concrete, block concrete, stone, solid and hollow bricks from baked clay, tiles, mortar, mineral plaster, glass, sand, and asphalt. The findings of this study also present an overview of the locks and opportunities to achieving the sustainable use of residential building materials. Image 1 • Guidelines for circular economy in French residential sector are provided. • Framework approach for identifying the potential stock of residential building materials is provided. • Main locks and opportunities to unleash the implementation of circular economy in French residential sector are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is estimated 30.8 million tonnes of waste is generated by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in England, more than is generated by households. Despite this there is surprisingly limited research nationally and internationally on the management of waste from SMEs. In England businesses have a Duty of Care to ensure that their waste is managed in a responsible way and it is illegal for them to household waste services. This paper presents the results from semi-structured interviews and site visits with 100 SMEs to assess levels of compliance with Duty of Care. It also presents the results of analysing 3.8 tonnes of household waste to identify levels of waste from SMEs illegally entering the household stream. The author believes this is the first study which attempts to estimate levels of business waste abuse of household services through undertaking waste composition analysis. With policy makers increasingly focusing on the Circular Economy the research is the first to estimate levels of resource leakage of recyclable and biowaste from SMEs into the household waste stream. 25% of SMEs interviewed were found to be illegally using household services for their waste, and 38% for their recycling. Waste composition analysis of household waste found that 6% of the waste sampled was from SMEs and that 77% of this waste was biowaste or dry recyclable materials that could have been diverted from disposal through recycling programmes. The paper considers the implications of these findings and presents recommendations to improve the management of the SME waste stream. • In England 30.8 million tonnes of waste is generated by SMEs. • It is illegal for businesses to use household waste services. • Of 100 SMEs interviewed 25% used household services for waste and 38% for recycling. • Of 3.8 tonnes of household residual waste analysed 6% was from SMEs. • 77% was dry recyclable material or biowaste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature on the circular economy business model (CEBM) has witnessed a sharp upsurge in recent years. Although scholars have investigated CEBM from several perspectives, including the green business model, waste management, digital technology, the supply chain, and the financial impact of CEBM, critical analysis of the extant literature has not attracted scholarly attention. The current systematic literature review (SLR) on CEBM is an attempt to critically analyse and appraise the prior findings by following robust research protocols. We analysed a pool of 126 studies to identify the thematic research areas, recognise the research gaps and present future research agendas. Subsequently, we classified the research themes, namely the drivers of and barriers to CEBM. The paper thus provides a comprehensive assessment of the current state of the art on the drivers and barriers involved in executing CEBM. By identifying existing research gaps and presenting avenues for future research, the SLR illuminates the nuances of CEBM implementation. Moreover, we propose an actor-network theory-based conceptual framework for CEBM implementation for further investigation. We conclude the study by providing the theoretical and practical implications for those attempting to overcome the barriers and address the challenges involved in CEBM implementation. • The circular economy has become a focal point of discussion in the recent literature. • This study systematically reviewed 126 studies on the drivers of and barriers to CEBM. • It presents the current state of the art on drivers of and barriers to CEBM implementation. • It delineates research gaps and future research avenues for each thematic area. • It proposes a conceptual framework highlighting the potential research areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mismanaged plastic waste is a major environmental concern, especially in countries of the Global South. Municipal solid waste management can not only alleviate environmental problems but also create jobs and promote local economic growth. However, providing appropriate waste management services is costly. The question is to what extent waste management policies that have proven to be successful in other geographies can help solve the challenge in developing countries. Specifically, the economics and financial flows along the value chain need to be known. In this paper, we shed light on these questions by presenting a novel, model-based method to elicit and assess the cost structure of the recycling sector in developing countries. We exemplify our method with plastics waste management in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana—an area particularly challenged by plastic waste. For this purpose, we surveyed over 80 participants of the waste management value chain and combined the data with insights from expert interviews and workshops. Based on this data, we built a bottom-up model with 67 parameters, reflecting all cost positions in the waste management value chain. We found that street waste pickers are the poorest and most vulnerable, earning only a fraction of the already low minimum wage. Middlemen and aggregators, while often being criticized for their earnings, also provide social-security-like services to waste pickers. In addition, formal and informal recyclers differ not only in earnings and size but also in recyclate quality where the informal sector provides higher quality. [Display omitted] • Analysis of formal & informal plastic waste management value chain in Accra, Ghana. • New bottom-up method for estimating & modelling true cost of waste management. • Waste pickers abstain from necessary safety equipment to achieve positive returns. • Formal recycling structures allow for scaling but reduce recyclate quality. • Substantial investments are needed to scale up recycling capacity and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: With material and energy flow features, iron/steel industry has unique advantage in the industrial symbiosis (IS) formation to realize environmental and economic benefit simultaneously. The quantification of the scale and significance of IS benefits is valuable for IS promotion, while there is much few attention to it, especially in China. Under this circumstance, this paper evaluates and compares the number, scale and the related environmental/economic gains of IS activities in iron/steel-centered industrial areas in Liuzhou and Jinan in China, and Kawasaki in Japan. Results show that: in Liuzhou, there are three symbiosis activities between industries. The annual by-product/waste exchange is more than 2 million ton/y, gaining economic revenue more than 36.55 million USD for the iron/steel company. In Jinan, seven symbiotic links are between industries, and two are between urban community and iron/steel plant. The total by-product/waste exchange is over 8 million ton/y and the economic gains account to 158 million USD. In Kawasaki, iron/steel industry relates to four symbiotic links, the total by-product/waste exchange amount is about 500 kton/y, with the economic gains over 54 million USD. The form and the complexity of the IS network are different in the three cases. IS in Liuzhou and Jinan are with the features of large number and scale, but single types. While in Kawasaki, IS includes not only traditional exchanges between iron/steel plant and the other industries, but also the innovative utilization of urban refuse by industrial area. Finally, from the perspective of technology, legislative framework and support policy, circular technology inventory, integrated waste management system, information platform and national subsidies are needed to support the ever-improvement of IS promotion in China's iron/steel industry. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Despite the obligations assumed by Croatian accession to the European Union in 2013, municipal waste still mainly ends at landfills, even in regions where significant investments were made in waste management centres based on mechanical-biological treatment, and in which mixed waste is collected and processed into refuse-derived fuel and disposed at so-called bioreactor landfills. Waste management sector in Croatia necessitates substantial restructuring if it is to achieve compliance with circular economy. Since Croatia is far from achieving specific targets, in 2016 an attempt was made to adopt a strategic waste management document that would have paved the way to reaching circular economy targets, but its contents were substantially modified in course of its adoption, preserving the concept devised a decade and half ago. The paper presents waste and circularity indicators for Croatia, analyses national policies, targets, achievements and EU recommendations, and proposes the measures which would accelerate Croatia's path towards circular economy, resource efficiency, reduction of marine litter in the Adriatic and bio economy. The model is applicable to other countries in transition and those which still rely on landfilling and linear economy concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste-to-Chemicals production represents a sustainable pathway considering the new Circular Economy approach and the environmental problems related to waste disposal management. This paper concerns about the LDPE production starting from a nonrecyclable plastic waste feedstock, providing a solution to both plastic demand and plastic waste disposal. The proposed process combines different technologies starting from a high temperature gasification of waste, which leads to a no tar syngas production. The present paper provides a feasibility analysis in order to reach an interesting product yield and an innovative process configuration, reporting the overall plant block scheme and the Process Flow Diagram. The heat and material balances of the entire production chain, including the steam production, the byproducts separations and the plant furnace units, were developed via the simulation software Aspen Plus V8.0. The paper shows each simulator flowsheet of some significant plant sections, reporting all the necessary equipment and thermal recoveries and the properties of each plant unit outlet stream. Last but not at least a feedstock analysis is developed by comparing the mixed plastic feedstock to the RDF one, showing the resulting data and considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular economy is receiving increasing attention as having the potential to break with the current linear economy of unsustainable production and consumption. A circular economy promotes system innovations that aim to design out waste, increase resource-efficiency, and achieve a better balance between economy, environment and society. Ensuring a successful transition to a circular economy requires the ability to measure and report on progress. Currently, there are three levels of indicators for measuring circular economy: macro (global, national, regional, city), meso (industrial symbiosis, eco-industrial parks), and micro (single firm, product). A detailed understanding of how to measure and document progress towards a circular economy is lacking, especially on a micro level. This is a barrier for both producers who want to provide circular products and services, and for the consumers who want to know how to compare products. This paper helps to open the black box, not by developing a method for measurement, but by categorizing and assessing what is already being done. This paper reviews 30 indicators of a circular economy at the micro level, where the majority of indicators focused on recycling, end-of-life management or remanufacturing, while fewer indicators consider disassembly, lifetime extension, waste management, resource-efficiency or reuse, and the majority of the papers are published in the last few years. There is no commonly accepted way of measuring circular economy in general at the micro level, nor within the different circular economy principles of recycling, remanufacturing etc. As circular economy often is presented as a means to a sustainable development, the alignment between the three dimensions of sustainability and the reviewed indicators is analyzed, which showed that the majority of indicators focus on economic aspects, with environmental and especially social aspects included to a lesser extent. This biased approach to circular economy that favors economic aspects over environmental and social impacts can lead to sub-optimizations when companies apply circular economy and may lead to a narrower approach to sustainability than what has previously been the case. For future research it can be interesting to explore if the same bias exists on meso and macro level, but also to analyze how a more coherent approach can be standardized on micro level. • There is no common standard for how to measure micro level circularity. • 30 indicators for micro level CE are reviewed and analyzed. • The majority of micro level indicators focus on the outer circle of CE. • A limited number of indicators focus on the inner circles of CE. • Most indicators focus on economy with limited attention to environment and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide Oil & Gas exploitation industry has a vital and dynamic role to play in the global energy matrix. In any Oil & Gas exploitation mission, drilling operations have the potential to generate substantial quantity of wastes. Drilling fluids and cuttings are considered as hazardous waste, very complex and difficult to be managed due to several impurities (i.,e heavy metals, etc). At the same time, circular economy is gaining cumulative attention in Europe and around the world as a potential way for our humanity to growth prosperity, while reducing dependence on primary materials and energy. The paper through end-of-waste criteria concept and quality protocol development, declassified oil-based drilling cuttings (from Cyprus Oil & Gas Exploitation program) after their treatment through Thermomechanical Cuttings Cleaning process, in order to be used as alternative aggregated and/or construction material and/or cement production (or other civil engineering works), promoting at the same time a valuable and sustainable solution based on circular economy concept. The results showed that, the final solid waste from Thermomechanical Cuttings Cleaning process can be used as raw material for civil engineering works replacing natural resource, if solid waste from the Thermomechanical Cuttings Cleaning process can met the defined quality protocol limits. The results are considered vital for offshores, policy makers, consultant engineers, as well as competent authorities, which try to find an acceptable and at the same time sustainable solution, to monitor and assess drilling waste which should be managed in a safe way, that may not have any undesirable effect on the environment. [Display omitted] • Drilling waste management through end-of-waste criteria (EWC) development. • Drilling waste to be used as aggregates and construction materials. • Quality protocols to define EWC for drilling waste. • Drilling cutting sustainable management approach. • Oil-based drilling cuttings treatment after Thermomechanical Cuttings Cleaning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Absolute Environmental Sustainability Assessment (AESA) framework is an emerging field in environmental research that aims at comparing the estimated environmental burden generated by a system on its life cycle to the carrying capacity that can be assigned to this system, i.e. the amount of impacts that it can cause without causing unacceptable impairment of ecosystem functional integrity. This paper aims to expand the AESA framework to multifunctional systems. We applied it to a simplified case study based on municipal solid waste (MSW) management, since such a system provides several functions such as reduction of the quantity and toxicity of waste, production of heat, electricity or secondary materials. Thus, we could identify the specific questions that arise from this multifunctionality in the context of AESA. Based on the theory of AESA, we developed a four-steps methodology to identify the most significant impacts at both system and global scales. That methodology consisted of (step 1) quantifying the impacts of the studied system with conventional Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) followed by a normalisation step; (step 2) quantifying the number of beneficiaries from this system; (step 3) identifying impact categories for which the studied system causes significant impacts and global carrying capacities are exceeded; and (step 4) quantifying the Assigned Carrying Capacity (ACC) of the system, based on a utilitarian perspective and its contribution to the satisfaction of human needs. We then applied this methodology to a simplified model of the MSW management implemented in the Lyon Metropolitan Area (France), as a proof of concept. Steps 1 to 3 helped elaborate a hierarchy of impact categories, highlighting which ones should be reduced in priority. Step 4 required significant knowledge about how the functions of the studied system were used, both directly and indirectly, to satisfy human needs. We used national Supply and Use Tables and several simplifying hypotheses to that end. We also tested different sharing principles based on macroeconomic indicators. This variety of sharing principles helped refine the hierarchy developed in Step 3 by identifying which carrying capacities were most certainly exceeded by the studied system. • Applying Absolute Environmental Sustainability Assessment to multifunctional systems • Methodological propositions to quantify system's contribution to human needs • Global and system exceedance of carrying capacities highlight hierarchy of impacts • Life Cycle Assessment of municipal solid waste management as a case study [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While excessive use of electronics and the resulting e-waste is a global problem, the situation is even more acute on small islands as bounded systems and the enormous costs associated with shipping it elsewhere. Dumping e-waste on islands can cause pollution of ground and surface water and degradation of coastal and marine resources. Yet, research that supports island governments to deal with their e-waste is scarce. This paper explores the viability of a circular economy (CE) and asks whether this could be a promising solution for islands to tackle their e-waste challenge. In pursuit of this aim, the CE potential of e-waste is analyzed on five Caribbean islands: Aruba, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. The resource quantity of e-waste generated between 2020 and 2025 is estimated, and the economic value is assessed for the embedded materials. Using sensitivity analyses, three scenarios of exploitable e-waste and their potential economic values were calculated, considering the recovery of 20%, 50%, or 100% of e-waste stocked on the islands between 2001 and 2019. Expert interviews were conducted to identify existing e-waste management practices, if any. The results reveal that more than 317.4 kt of secondary materials would be available for recovery, comprising a significant amount of base and precious metals, such as aluminum, copper, silver, gold, and palladium. The estimated economic value of these materials is estimated to be more than $546 million. However, according to the sensitivity analysis, if these islands had started the recovery of resources in early 2001, this value would almost triple to $1,430 million - equivalent to nearly 30% of the total gross domestic product (GDP) from mining and quarrying in the entire Caribbean community, from just these five islands. Due to economies of scale that limit smaller nations, regional co-operations and initiating industrial symbiosis would be essential for desirous islands to shift to a CE. CE can support resource self-sufficiency on islands and bring several social, environmental, and economic benefits. This research is the first to provide an island-specific perspective to help decision-makers manage e-waste flows by including participatory CE implementation methods. • Circular economy can be a promising solution for islands to tackle their e-waste challenge. • A significant quantity of base, rare and precious metals are available for recovery from e-waste in the Caribbean. • Achieving a circular economy would diversify the economy, create new jobs, improve human and ecosystem health. • Circular economy of e-waste can enhance resource security and self-sufficiency on islands. • Establishing regional collaborative alliances is essential for an effective e-waste management system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With half of the global population living in urban areas, prevailing unsustainable production and consumption patterns, and ecological crises, the circular economy topic gains momentum. However, the implementation of the circular economy from a local governance point of view has been explored in a rather fragmented manner, although public policies remain crucial in driving countries towards more circular systems. This paper aims to explore whether and how local governments contribute to circular economy implementation by applying Voβ et al.'s (2007) steering framework for sustainable development. By using desk research analysis and focus group and individual interview discussions with representatives of municipalities and regional waste management centres, we identified challenges for implementing the circular economy with a lack of local governments' contribution, namely municipal waste management, textile waste, distribution of human resources, networking, and local business. Finally, we created a framework for circular solutions by mapping national and foreign practices through five perspectives, namely learning, sharing vision, reflexive governance, regulation, and negotiation in networks. • The current activities of Lithuanian local governments focus more on waste management. • The practical framework of circular solutions for local government has been created. • Circular solutions of sharing a vision, reflexive governance, regulation, negotiation in networks are at the initial stage. • Local governments should be more proactive and strengthen networking with local business across the value chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landfill mining (LFM) refers to the excavation and processing of formerly buried waste streams. It offers significant environmental and societal benefits through the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions or the reduction of long-term waste management costs. LFM's profitability, however, is still in question and public investment support might be necessary to fully exploit its potential. To enable decision-makers to identify the best solutions for a landfill site, societal impacts of LFM still have to be investigated. Throughout relevant literature, societal impacts of LFM projects have only selectively been studied and it remains unclear if and which benefits justify policy interventions. This paper firstly provides a comprehensive conceptualization of the societal impact of an LFM project and dives into the underlying societal context of this emerging industry. It disentangles formerly identified burdens and benefits by applying a system dynamics approach to LFM research. Based on this approach, four causal loop diagrams are presented showing how LFM is embedded into its societal context, analyzing the composition of the net societal impact of an LFM project, the mechanisms influencing LFM's public acceptance, and the dynamics of the market acceptance of LFM products. Key variables and leverage points have been identified, such as (i) technology choices influencing avoided impacts from the mitigations of primary resource consumption, since many societal impacts are closely related to environmental impacts, (ii) a timely and broad stakeholder involvement to prevent project opposition, and (iii) the after-use of the mined landfill, generating a major part of the local and regional societal benefits but also creating potential conflicts between stakeholder interests. Key intradimensional trade-offs and potential conflicts were identified in (i) spatial and (ii) temporal risk distribution, (iii) conflicting societal goals of the after-use such as job creations and recreation, as well as (iv) material and energy recuperation. These findings provide important insights for LFM decision-makers and can help to implement this emerging industry in a sustainable way. - Causal loop diagrams are presented showing the dynamics of the societal dimension of landfill mining. - Societal benefits of landfill mining projects mainly comprise the avoided impacts from production as well as the after-use of the gained landfill area. - Societal burdens derive mainly from the ongoing landfill mining operations and can include emissions to soil, air, and water as well as disamenities for the neighboring communities. - Early and broad stakeholder involvement can mitigate public opposition and help to gain political support for a project. - The market acceptance of landfill mining products depends mainly on their prices, product quality, and market uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As municipal landfills are still the prevailing option for solid waste management in Brazil, there is a high possibility to recover combustible materials from both municipal and industrial waste streams with high calorific value through Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF). RDF can be utilized as substitute fuels in cement and other industries that could, in turn, reduce energy consumption and the landfill space for waste disposal. However, relevant policies for use of RDF in Brazil are unclear due to the lack of systematic socioeconomic assessment concerning cost, benefit, and risk aspects. This paper is aimed to present a system dynamics modeling analysis to estimate the availability of potential recyclable waste streams from municipal and industrial sectors for RDF production in Brazil and discuss possible policy interventions. The model was simulated based on a 20-year timeframe in accordance with possible waste management policies in Espírito Santo (a Brazilian state). The results provide the annual waste availability from four different routes with respect to the pessimistic, intermediate, and optimistic scenarios considered. With the partial implementation of the actions indicated in the proposed solid waste management policy, it is envisioned that there will be sufficient waste streams for RDF production under dynamic uncertainties, given the limited cost-benefit-risk trade-off assessment. In addition to the direct benefits of sustainable RDF production as a substitute for fossil fuels in the cement industry, the indirect environmental benefits are salient as the regulations for circular economy can be functional in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the unprecedented global growth of Photovoltaic (PV) panels installation at the annual growth rate of 25–30%, their appropriate End-of-Life (EoL) management gets into focus. The major gap is currently a strategic pathway that facilitates internationally closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) leading to a circular economy from the management point of views. This paper introduces a universal framework for sustainable management of about 5000 GW PV products by 2050 and illuminates the different boundaries and elements that influence the circular economy. There is a minimum of 24 types of substances embedded in PV waste flow which are classified into 6 categories. The research findings estimate 60–80 million tons (MT) of PV waste by 2050 which entails proactive strategy for EoL treatment. Latest update of WEEE Directive in 2019 enforces 85% recovery and 80% preparation for recycling of PV panels. If an environmentally friendly treatment pathway could be achieved and the recovery rate and purity level meet the market demand, there is strong potential for a circular economy, but it needs proper marginalization at the management levels. This study indicated that the PV panels' sustainability should be broken down into three principal levels comprising product and component (Macroscopic), material (Mesoscopic), substances (Microscopic). In each level, the associated parties were introduced, and critical elements were discussed. The parties at the macroscopic level mostly consider the projection of the waste, awareness, and marketing of the recovered materials. While the environmental impacts, treatment pathway and its standard are covered by the associated parties at the mesoscopic level. The micro-management more concerns the monitoring of the purity level and transparent movement of the recovered materials and substances into the new industry and new market and highlights further consideration on the regulation at the international and national levels in this case. [Display omitted] • PV waste management should be categorized into three levels of macroscopic, mesoscopic and microscopic scales. • To achieve sustainability and a circular economy, the development of a global monitoring system is required. • The purity level of the recovered materials has a key towards sustainability and circular economy. • The success of any PV waste management strategy highly depends on public awareness and active marketing program. • The recovered PV materials construction, cosmetic and paint making, and battery industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of filter media to adsorb phosphorus (P) from nutrient-rich waters is an effective, simple and low-cost method to recover and reuse P as an inorganic fertiliser replacement. Although it is assumed that the saturated filter media can be applied to cropland as a safe fertiliser replacement, there is presently a lack of information on the fertiliser replacement value (FRV) of such products and their negative effects on plants and soil. Therefore, the aims of this paper were to evaluate the (1) P removal capacity and plant response to soil application of waste media from three sectors (industry, agriculture, and construction and demolition), and natural and synthetic materials (2) potentially confounding risks arising from the reuse of media as a fertiliser replacement, and (3) factors affecting their fertilising efficiency once applied to soil. The predominant factors affecting the FRV of P-saturated media were their adsorption capacity and chemical composition, soil pH, and composition of water used for saturation. Some measures to overcome the negative impacts of the land application of P-saturated media include selecting the most appropriate soil-filter material combinations, the use of P solubilising microorganisms, and mixing with manure before land application. Despite confounding factors and a lack of information on the performance of some media under comparable study conditions, this study found that there is a significant potential for P-saturated filter media to partially replace the use of P mineral fertilisers and aid in the attainment of a "circular economy" in agriculture. Image 1 • Fertiliser success lies in the correct combination of filter medium, soil and water. • C&D, agriculture, industry, and natural/synthetic waste are potential fertilisers. • Adsorption capacity, composition, soil pH affect the fertiliser replacement value. • Significant potential for P-loaded filter media to replace P mineral fertilisers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plastic management, specifically plastic packaging management, represents one of the main sectors responsible for environmental and health impacts. The European Commission, in 2018, released a Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy and a new Packaging Waste Directive for closing the loop of this management system, forcing member states to recycle 55% of plastic packaging by 2030. The level of circular economy in a supply chain can be measured with material flow analysis, a useful tool to help policy makers forecast the recycling capability and to provide suggestions for improving the plastic packaging management sustainability. Considering the gap in literature in this field, the principal aim of this paper is to apply material flow analysis to measure the level of circular economy in the 2017 Italian plastic packaging management, by using the software STAN 2.6. Particularly, it assessed its post-consumer recycling rate, according to the new calculation method established by the Waste Directive. Secondly, this result is compared with that of the other EU-28 countries. The findings indicate that Italy has a good recycling rate, almost 44%, and that the energy recovery and landfill levels are about 40% and nearly 17%, respectively. There is room for making plastic waste management more efficient. Some of the EU-28 countries have wide margins of improvement thanks to large amounts of plastic packaging in landfills, whereas others, although they present good recycling rates, could tackle some problems in adopting the circular economy approach because they continue to burn plastic packaging in waste-to-energy plants. • EC forced member states to recycle 55% of plastic packaging by 2030. • MFA is used to assess the Italian plastic packaging management and its CE levels. • Italy showed a good recycling rate with room for improvement. • Comparison of the diverse EU waste management strategies is useful for policymakers. • Some EU countries could limit CE levels through the use of waste-to-energy plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation and assessment of sustainable initiatives at sport events has a great importance for researchers and practitioners to improve the effects on the hosting territory. All three pillars of sustainability (environmental, economic and social) must be considered. In running events, such as marathons, one of the main issues is the environmental impact of the great quantity of waste, and particularly of plastic waste. A recent tendency is to shift to a "plastic-free" model. However, some single-use plastic products have unrivalled properties and their replacement with other materials may not be the most sustainable solution, at least in the short term. In this paper, a new model for managing plastic waste at a marathon is proposed. It does not aim to eliminate plastics at sport events, but to better manage waste by increasing collection, and sorting and recycling efficiency, following the circular economy paradigm. To demonstrate the sustainability of the model, a precise and quantitative methodology is applied to an innovative visualisation tool, developed by the University of Bologna, to assess circular initiatives and some key performance indicators (KPIs) to compare the sustainability of the new model to waste management in the previous editions of the same event. With this approach, it is demonstrated that a marathon can be completely sustainable: (i) from an environmental point of view, plastic collection efficiency increased by 120.5%; the recycling rate by 157.0% and the landfill rate decreased by 75.4%; (ii) from an economic point of view, it was demonstrated that, with the technological level of the involved recycling plant, the initiative is cost-effective when the virgin PET price is greater than €776/tonne; and (iii) with regard to the social impact, it was proved that the direct engagement of participants (runners and walkers) and their positive perceptions about the initiative achieved the highest score for the two selected qualitative KPIs (3/3). Moreover, some insights have been derived to improve plastic management, covering different disciplines: technical standardisation of plastics, consumer training and legislative support for technological innovation in the industrial context. • An initiative to enable sustainability of sport events was demonstrated in a small size marathon. • The quantitative approach allowed the evaluation of relevant KPIs to assess sustainability. • With a proper waste management, a sustainable use of plastics is possible. • Runners and all the supply chain actors were responsible of the initiative success. • Results highlight insights on techno-regulatory and social aspects to be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generation of healthcare waste from different patient care activities in hospitals, pathology labs and research centres has been a matter of great concern for environmental and social bodies across the world. This concern comes from its infectious and hazardous nature which brings life taking disease such as human immunodeficiency virus and Hepatitis-B. Moreover, with the outbreak of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic across the world, healthcare waste has become even more infectious like never before and showing its potential for claiming lives if not disposed properly. Additionally, the COVID-19 has put up another challenge in terms of exponentially increasing demand for personal protective equipments for healthcare workers such as doctors, nurses, ward boys, and sanitation workers. In this paper, seven criteria related to smart healthcare waste disposal system infused by circular economy aspects to recover value from disposables are identified and analysed using a decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method. The criteria have been prioritized by its importance and net cause and effect relationship through a causal diagram. Two criteria, (i) digitally connected healthcare centres, waste disposal firms and pollution control board, and (ii) providing a pollution control board's feedback app to public and other stakeholders, feature as strong reasons for a smart healthcare waste disposal system. Conclusively, this study provides a causal relationship model among the intertwined drivers of industry 4.0 and circular economy for developing a smart healthcare waste disposal system enriched with the benefits of circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Households are highly resource intensive in terms of energy consumption and waste generation, and resource utilisation and management in households has wider implications at the national level. This paper applies systems thinking approach at the household level for the first time. The approach takes into consideration energy supply and demand, waste management and resource recovery from waste in a single system. Combining energy and waste management analysis enables better understanding of the systems at household level and can address resource efficiency, fuel poverty and environmental issues more effectively at the national level. This study adopts the Systems Thinking Approach to Resource Recovery (STARR) framework to identify the potential improvements that can be made within the system. Three models of households on energy and waste management, including "waste-and-energy", "waste-to-energy" and "reduced consumption" models, are examined through assessments of economic, environmental and social dimensions. These models are further explored through different scenarios, by considering the adoption of renewable solar photovoltaic (PV) energy supply, increasing recycling rate, integrating energy from waste into household and reducing consumption of resources and waste generation. The scenario with the least environmental impact involves adopting a concerted approach through switching to solar PV, increasing recycling rate and using electricity generated from residual waste, with global warming potential (GWP) of −1308 kg CO 2 -equivalent per year and total saving/income of £680 per year, on a one household basis. Image 1 • Three integrated household energy supply and waste management models were analysed. • Systems thinking approach improves resource efficiency in households. • Economic, environmental and social assessments consolidated recommendations. • Switching to solar PV offers significant GHG reduction and cost savings. • Further benefits can be attained by increasing resource recovery from waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community-scale composting, which can be conducted by the local council or a waste management company, is an effective starting point to divert food waste from landfill, especially for developing countries. This paper successfully demonstrates the feasibility of a community-scale food waste composting system, using the University of Nottingham Malaysia as the case study. The method selected is open-air static pile, using food waste as the substrate and leaf-litter as the bulking agent. The composting model presented in this study is also applicable to other organic wastes. The two feedstocks are mixed at a food waste-to-leaves weight ratio of 4: 1 to result in an initial moisture level of 63% and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of 27. The composting process can be completed in 7 months, yielding about 30 wt % (on dry basis) of compost from the total organic feedstock. The finished compost is shown to meet Malaysia's organic fertiliser standard, thus demonstrating the feasibility of this low-cost technology. Economic analysis showed that substituting chemical fertilisers with the organic compost produced in-house is a viable option, and that for Malaysia, the composting system would be able to self-sustain financially only when the landfilling cost is increased 2.3 times. The life-cycle assessment showed that using composting to replace landfill for food waste, as well as substituting chemical fertilisers with the organic compost produced, can greatly reduce the environmental impacts, especially on global warming, ecotoxicity, eutrophication and fossil fuel depletion. In order to promote the widespread application of composting for organic wastes, multi-actor partnerships are essential to link governments, organisations and households in working toward a circular economy. Image 1 • A community-scale organic waste composting system is presented. • It takes 7 months to produce compost from food waste, with leaves as bulking agent. • The compost yield is 30% and its quality meets the organic fertiliser standards. • Socio-cultural, economic, environmental and technical barriers were evaluated. • This system could be replicated and scaled up easily for widespread applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]