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Invasive plant species can impede the establishment and growth of native plants and affect several ecosystem properties. These properties include soil cover, nutrient cycling, fire regimes, and hydrology. Controlling invasive plants is therefore a necessary, but usually expensive, step in restoring an ecosystem. The sustainability of materials with an emphasis on the use of local resources plays an important role in the circular economy. The use of alternative fibers from invasive plants promotes local production in smaller paper mills that offer the protection of local species and the reduction of waste and invasive plants. A synthesis of the literature is needed to understand the various impacts of invasive plants and their practical control in the context of papermaking applications and to identify associated knowledge gaps. To improve our understanding of the practical application of invasive species in the paper industry, we reviewed the existing literature on invasive plant species in the area of fiber production, printability, coating solution production, dyes, and extracts, and collected information on the major invasive plant species in Europe and the methods used for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buildings are energy- and resource-hungry: their construction and use account for around 39% of global carbon dioxide emissions; they consume around 40% of all the energy produced; they are responsible for over 35% of the EU's total waste generation; and account for about 50% of all extracted (fossil) materials. Therefore, they present a significant challenge to meeting national and international Net Zero targets of reducing greenhouse emissions and fossil resource use. The CircularB Project, is at the heart of this issue, which will underpin synergies of multi-scale circular perspectives (from materials, to components, to assets and built environments), digital transformation solutions, data-driven and complexity science, stakeholder behavioral science, and interdisciplinary capabilities towards achievable, affordable and marketable circular solutions for both new and existing buildings, for sustainable urban design, and for circular built environments across Europe. This paper contributes to the project by deriving new insights into the stakeholders' influences, inter-relationships, and obstacles in the implementation of circular economy concepts on existing building stocks in Europe, which represent over 90% of whole building assets. In order to identify and derive the insights, our study is rigorously based on (i) a robust critical literature review of key documentations such as articles, standards, policy reports, strategic roadmaps and white papers; and (ii) interviews with relevant stakeholders and decision makers. Uniquely, our work spans across all scales of CE implementation from materials, to products and components, to existing building stocks, and to living built environments. The findings point out the current challenges and obstacles required to be tackled. Inadequacies of financial incentives and governmental enforcement (via policy, legislation, or directive) are commonly found to be the most critical obstacles found throughout Europe. Circular economy is the global challenge and not just a single country can resolve the climate issue without the cooperation of other countries. The insights thus highlight the essential need for harmonized actions and tactical/pragmatic policies promoted and regulated by the European Commission, national and local governments who can dominate the influence, promote inter-relationship, and overcome the barriers towards circular economy much more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing emissions from fluorinated gases (F-gases) is considered one of the key conditions for the European Union (EU) to be able to meet the requirements of the European Green Deal, primary objectives of which are the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 and the gradual transition to net climate neutrality by 2050. To this end, a quota system for hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) is already in place, introduced through the updated F-Gas Regulation (517/2014). The aim of this paper is to review an innovative scheme currently under development that strongly promotes the Recovery, Recycling and Reuse (3R) of F-gases extracted from the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC-R) equipment of the building sector, thus offering a sustainable alternative source for refrigerant supplies. Therefore, the basic operating principles of the so-called "3R ECOSYSTEM" are outlined and especially its three main components, which are: the self-certification/self-declaration platform, the F-gas identification and recycling units (prototypes) and the Retradeables marketplace. In addition, an overview of both the demonstration phase and the scheduled replication phase of the 3R ECOSYSTEM is provided, including the estimated impact on carbon dioxide (CO2) savings due to the progressive uptake of the circular use of existing F-gases across Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work explores the transition process towards a circular economic model in the European context. By placing the role of policies and waste as a focus of the debate, it first examines the possible effects that a stringent policy can generate and, secondly, how much waste and its management can influence the goodness of the transition process. By analyzing European data on major indicators of circularity, waste generation, and management, this paper attempts to provide a snapshot of the European situation and its different speeds along the transition path. In light of the recent development programs established by European institutions in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic that strained the world economy, the trends show how program resources should be directed towards key sustainability sectors that can stimulate European countries towards a common circular pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemp cultivation is becoming increasingly common worldwide, although it still raises many concerns. These plants are gaining popularity due to their versatility and the ability to use virtually every part of them in almost all economic branches. Hemp products are sought after and appreciated by consumers. The cultivation of hemp does not place a large burden on the environment. All this makes hemp an ideal plant in terms of land use, which is closely related to the idea of sustainable development. This paper describes the legal aspects of hemp cultivation in Europe and briefly presents its breeding and cultivation. The possibilities of their versatile use are presented, with particular reference to biofuel production. Moreover, the suitability for ecological cultivation, description of the economic and social aspects of industrial hemp cultivation, as well as future outlooks, are also described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our current approaches to resource management are not sustainable. Businesses typically follow a linear approach where resources are not well utilized. Maritime ports are part of the problem, as they need to optimize the use of resources and generate negative externalities. However, they can also be important drivers of sustainability if they effectively transition to Circular Economy (CE). In this study, eight principles of CE and ten CBMs, are discussed and used to analyze ports in three areas of intervention. This paper analyzes current CE practices in European ports and the potential to adopt Circular Business Models (CBMs) to create value for port stakeholders and contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Drivers and barriers to CE were analyzed, and the level of development was assessed. The ports studied are in Europe and are generally regarded as Maritime Industrial Ports (MIP). The methodology includes a Semi-Systematic Literature Review (SSLR) and a SWOT analysis to examine CE practices in maritime ports. This methodology helped enhance the analysis of Drivers and Barriers to CE transition. This study concludes that ports are developing circular practices and business models on the technical and biological flows, but the level of implementation is moderated to low. Six drivers for adopting CE principles were identified, including European ports' experience in circular activities and the Quality & Environmental Management System (EMS). In addition, seven barriers to CE were highlighted, including the diversity of port characteristics and the different interests and ambitions of port stakeholders that make it difficult to standardize measurements and transition to circularity. Circular development goals in ports should be integrated, and development must balance social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The findings and implications of this study will help Port Authorities (PA) in the strategy, policy development, and implementation of CBMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular economy (CE) for water aims to maximise value derived from water, processes, and practices. As a result, the recovery of wastewater and renewable water resources is used to offset the exploitation and impact of abstracting new water resources. New regulations such as the new circular economy action plan by the European Commission are emerging to promote circularity within the Green Deal agenda. However, there is still a need for research and practical insights into the interaction and integration of CE for water within existing policies and regulations, and its practical application specifically at the project level. This paper presents findings from demonstrator cases used to explore the opportunities and constraints in the policy, process, and procedural frameworks that govern water circularity in important sectors in Europe. Desk reviews are used to examine and compare European legislation against national and regional legislative frameworks within the different member states. Interviews and demonstrator project feedback enabled the exploration of the policy and value constraints at the project level. The findings provide unique insights into the policy and legislative enablers for and barriers to implementing CE for water in key sectors and specifically at the project level. The paper concludes with a five-point route map for new and revised policies and regulations targeting improved uptake of circular water technologies in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The imperative conditions for sustainable development both in Europe and around the world, waste collection is a fundamental goal, one way to achieve this is to develop circular economies. In this context, the paper analyzes the evolutions of the recycling rate of packaging waste by type of packaging in Romania compared to the 27 states of the European Union, as well as to other states in Europe. The analysis revealed that, among the 30 states included in the analysis, Romania moved from 28th place in 2006 to 23rd place in 2018, but is still quite far from the European Union average. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The implementation of new energy policies and standards for NZEB is expected to lead to a significant reduction of GHG emissions from building use in Europe in the next decades. On the other side, the growing pressure on insulation materials risks to significantly contribute to the exhaustion of the remaining carbon budget due to the high carbon intensity of conventional insulation for material processing. Consequently, storing carbon in construction products and promoting circular economies able to generate up-cycling processes from industrial or post-consumption waste are the key strategies to promote an effective transition toward a carbon-neutral society. Fashion & clothing is one of the manufacturing sectors which mostly contributes to waste generation and fossil GHG emission. This paper presents the main outcomes achieved from RECYdress project, which focuses on the valorisation of wasted textile collected by municipal districts to develop novel thermal insulations for building applications. Three alternative conceptual manufacturing processes were defined at lab scale based on different treatment of textile fibres, with produced specimens tested for thermal characterization. Finally, the LCA results of an ETICS application for façade renovation were compared considering as functional unit 1m2 of façade with similar thermal resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transitioning from a linear to a circular economy is an important part of Europe's strategy to counteract climate change, boost green transformation and accomplish new business and welfare. Through the introduction of the European Green Deal in December 2019, this transition has received greater attention and activity to analyze and implement circularity throughout Europe. WoodCircus project of European Horizon 2020 program (2018-2021), a consortium of seven research centers, eight industry stakeholders, two EU networks and seven countries, aimed to increase knowledge, raise awareness, and improve conditions for an uptake of resource efficient processing, recycling and circularity in wood construction value chains, and foster competitiveness of the European woodworking sector. The project was based on an extensive fact finding and state-of-art process with a focused literature review and internet search, expert interviews of 99 stakeholders in ten countries in four macro-regions in Europe and three workshops with invited experts. The thematic focus was in wood-based side stream utilization and waste management systems, availability and suppliers of raw materials, bio-circular product solutions and markets, and resource efficiency, recovering, recycling, reuse and processing technologies. In addition, organization and set-up of different value chains, with specific attention to material flows, industrial ecosystems as well as composition and collaboration of stakeholders were mapped. The data were used for elaboration of SWOT analysis in the macro-regions, identification of good practices and development needs, and individuation of potential for novel bio-circular applications and cross-border transfer of practices. An invited review panel selected 25 of them for a European good practices catalogue. This paper summarizes this part of the project with recommendations for industry and policy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green and blue infrastructure, nature-based solutions, and cultural and built heritage play a key role in enhancing ecosystem services provision and shaping urban quality and communities' wellbeing calling for an integrated approach to ecosystem services in urban policy and planning and decision-making. On the other side, under-used spaces and buildings have social, cultural, economic, as well as ecological functions and benefits, which are essential to sustainable urban development. The EU has been developing and implementing policies for an integrated approach to urban development and sustainable land use through the implementation of the Urban Agenda for the EU and fourteen associated Partnerships. Thus, it engaged a broad range of institutions and stakeholders across Europe in promoting local projects and sharing best practices on sustainable land use and nature-based solutions, the circular economy, and cultural heritage. This paper reviews the experiences of cities involved in the Partnerships of the Urban Agenda for the EU by illustrating how they related to different modes of ecosystem governance and associated challenges, discussing how three case studies integrate different dimensions of ecosystem services and regeneration in under-used areas and what type of knowledge as well as regulation and governance modes they have developed for supporting innovation in land use planning and management for urban ecosystem services. The results show that appropriate alternative regulations and policies are little explored and that cities adopt an integrated approach, combining cultural, environmental, economic, and social dimensions in their interventions, directly or indirectly enhancing the benefits of built and natural heritage and urban ecosystems in under-used areas. However, some issues, such as nature-based solutions and climate change, are still partially integrated into the projects while priority is given to the cultural, aesthetic, and economic dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to explore the environmental value of the Maker movement, which is driving digital fabrication into the mainstream. Makers are inspiring each other to create smart solutions for all types of individual needs and address societal and environmental challenges at the same time. They share their creative ideas and solutions in collaborative work spaces and Maker Faires or on social media platforms. Is this grassroots innovation the beginning of the next industrial revolution? This paper will explore the environmental value and impact of makers' innovative business model and discuss on how to increase the circularity. At the same time, we will describe the role of maker communities and how to help to play a better role. In the framework of a case study analysis based on 10 different Maker initiatives across Europe, 39 interviews were conducted with makers and Maker initiatives managers evaluating core questions such as potential environmental value and impact, value chains, and energy efficient behaviours. This study is expected to contribute to building an explorative but yet empirically rooted analysis of the environmental value and impact of the Maker movement. Furthermore, the challenges in the future and the suggestions for policy makers are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper investigates the socio-technical transition pathways related to innovation niches formation merging the theoretical framework of Strategic Niche Management (SNM) with the Social Network Analysis (SNA) technique. Specifically, focusing on the niche of the virtual and augmented reality, this work tries to shed light on the understanding of the niche development and the related transition towards sustainability. Combining SNM with SNA and utilizing a specific taxonomy, the study allows appreciating the actual cognitive interaction among niche members that determine the transition to succeed. Results show that the investigated niche is characterized by an embryonic stage of development which needs a better support to advance technological shift in order to reinforce the link between Industry 4.0 paradigm and Circular Economy (CE). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the current problems and prospects to overcome circular water economy management challenges in European countries. The geopolitical paradigm of water, the water economy, water innovation, water management and regulation in Europe, environmental and safety concerns at water reuse, and technological solutions for water recovery are all covered in this review, which has been prepared in the frame of the COST ACTION (CA, 20133) FULLRECO4US, Working Group (WG) 4. With a Circular Economy approach to water recycling and recovery based on this COST Action, this review paper aims to develop novel, futuristic solutions to overcome the difficulties that the European Union (EU) is currently facing. The detailed review of the current environmental barriers and upcoming difficulties for water reuse in Europe with a Circular Economy vision is another distinctive aspect of this study. It is observed that the biggest challenge in using and recycling water from wastewater treatment plants is dealing with technical, social, political, and economic issues. For instance, geographical differences significantly affect technological problems, and it is effective in terms of social acceptance of the reuse of treated water. Local governmental organizations should support and encourage initiatives to expand water reuse, particularly for agricultural and industrial uses across all of Europe. It should not also be disregarded that the latest hydro politics approach to water management will actively contribute to addressing the issues associated with water scarcity. • We concentrated on new future perspectives for addressing current resource recovery strategy challenges. • We revealed a snapshot for future needs for a fully circular European economy. • We built a discussion platform in holistic water recovery by COST Action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is structured in three parts: the first contains some reflections on the essence of the circular economy concept; the second reviews the European Union positions vis-à-vis the circular economy and the large scale utilization of hydrogen, with reference in particular to the most recent strategic documents (European Green Deal, EU New Industrial Strategy for Europe, EU Strategy for Energy System Integration, EU Hydrogen Strategy, European Clean Hydrogen Alliance); the third part evaluates the feasibility and implications of the transition to a hydrogen based economy and the relation of this transition to the circular economy. The conclusions state that the adoption by the European Union of a hydrogen strategy represents a significant step towards a true circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for biostimulants has been growing at an annual rate of 10 and 12.4% in Europe and Northern America, respectively. The beneficial effects of humic substances (HS) as biostimulants of plant growth have been well-known since the 1980s, and they can be supportive to a circular economy if they are extracted from different renewable resources of organic matter including harvest residues, wastewater, sewage sludge, and manure. This paper presents an overview of the scientific outputs on application methods of HS in different conditions. Firstly, the functionality of HS in the primary and secondary metabolism under stressed and non-stressed cropping conditions is discussed along with crop protection against pathogens. Secondly, the advantages and limitations of five different types of HS application under open-fields and greenhouse conditions are described. Key factors, such as the chemical structure of HS, application method, optimal rate, and field circumstances, play a crucial role in enhancing plant growth by HS treatment as a biostimulant. If we can get a better grip on these factors, HS has the potential to become a part of circular agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) is often hindered by ecological, social and economic factors, resulting in inadequate biodiversity protection and inefficient use of public money. A clear example of such inefficient management in aquatic ecosystems is the European catfish Silurus glanis L. in southern Europe. Native to central Eurasia, S. glanis is an emblematic and controversial freshwater fish, being the subject of extensive and profitable trophy angling in central Europe and of commercial fishing in eastern Europe. Concurrently, in western and southern Europe where it was introduced in the XIX century, S. glanis is considered a problematic invader. The lack of comprehensive information on S. glanis invasive populations has limited effective management, which is critical to successfully control the spread and minimize negative impacts on native ecosystems and species. LIFE PREDATOR, started in September 2022 with a budget of € 2.85 million and a consortium of six partners from three countries, aims at developing a multidisciplinary and transnational approach to control established populations of S. glanis, and prevent further spreading and future introductions in southern European lakes and reservoirs. The project will develop and test an early warning system based on eDNA and citizen science and identify the most effective and selective capture techniques to reduce the abundance of catfish, particularly in Natura 2000 lakes, actively involving anglers and professional fishermen on this. Massive raising awareness campaigns will be conducted targeting anglers but also the general public, and protocols and best practices will be transferred to management authorities. For the long-term sustainability of the project, a South European Management Group will be created. Additionally, in northern Italy, where the catfish invasion is more advanced, a local circular economy will be implemented, involving the increase in fishing pressure by encouraging catfish consumption as food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity has emerged as a pressing global concern, driven by population growth, urbanization, and climate change. As freshwater resources dwindle, the imperative for water reuse becomes increasingly apparent. Reusing water presents a sustainable solution to mitigate scarcity, offering a way to maximize the efficiency of available resources. This review delves into the multifaceted landscape of water consumption and reuse, aiming to provide a comprehensive analysis and understanding of this critical issue. It explores the diverse implications of unregulated water consumption, spanning from its impacts on household routines to its profound influence on economic activities. Additionally, it scrutinizes the legislative framework surrounding water usage, shedding light on the policies and regulations in place. Furthermore, the review investigates the current status of water reuse practices in Europe, delving into various methods of water recovery. Finally, it examines public perceptions and attitudes toward recycled water, offering insights into the societal outlook on this increasingly vital aspect of water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular economy is a way of eliminating the shortage of raw materials that Europe is currently facing. However, it is necessary to explicitly identify the problems that prevent greater involvement in the CE. This article is focused on consumers and how they treat discarded or non-functional items. The aim was to fill the research gap, i.e. to compile a suitable CE model and define a methodology that would ensure the efficient disposal of non-functional or unsuitable items by consumers. An original methodology was drawn up to conduct the representative research, designed to lead to the practical application of the proposed CE model. The research explored how consumers treat non-functional or unsuitable items, the costs they incur in discarding, renovating, reusing, and recycling such items, and the alternative costs of unsorted municipal waste. After the data had been implemented into the model the circular economy was proven to have an economic benefit for the national economy in all groups. However, the economic disadvantage for consumers was also calculated, where the cost of involvement in the CE is higher than the cost of unsorted municipal waste. This means that people are motivated to play a part in the CE more by their own responsible approach to life, or social pressure from those around them. Based on this research it may be said that economic aspects are one reason that consumers tend to be reluctant to get more involved in the CE. Unless there is a significant rise in the cost of municipal waste that would motivate consumers to move towards the CE for financial reasons, in order to support the CE consumers need to be better stimulated, educated and informed as much as possible through the media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clean technologies and infrastructure for our low-carbon, green future carry intense mineral demands. The ambition remains to recycle and reuse as much as we can; however, newly mined resources will be required in the near term despite the massive improvements in the reuse and recycling of existing end-of-use products and wastes. Growth trends suggest that mining will still play a role after 2050 since the demand for metals will increase as the developing world moves toward a per capita usage of materials comparable to that of the developed world. There are sufficient geological resources to deliver the required mineral commodities, but the need to mine must be balanced with the requirement to tackle environmental and social governance issues and to deliver sustainable development goals, ensuring that outcomes are beneficial for both the people and planet. Currently, the lead time to develop new mines following discovery is around 16 years, and this needs to be reduced. New approaches to designing and evaluating mining projects embracing social, biodiversity, and life cycle analysis aspects are pivotal. New frontiers for supply should include neglected mined wastes with recoverable components and unconventional new deposits. New processing technologies that involve less invasive, lower energy and cleaner methodologies need to be explored, and developing such methodologies will benefit from using nature-based solutions like bioprocessing for both mineral recovery and for developing sustainable landscapes post mining. Part of the new ambition would be to seek opportunities for more regulated mining areas in our own backyard, thinking particularly of old mineral districts of Europe, rather than relying on sources with potentially and less controllable, fragile, and problematic supply chains. The current debate about the potential of mining our deep ocean, as an alternative to terrestrial sources needs to be resolved and based on a broader analysis; we can then make balanced societal choices about the metal and mineral supply from the different sources that will be able to deliver the green economy while providing a net-positive deal for the planet and its people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of a circular economy (CE) has become popular and important issue in environmental management in recent years; however, there are not particular indicators dedicated to it in regional policy. CE approach is an industrial system that is restorative by design, and it emphasises that it is important that, rather than extracting natural resources, the materials that have already been taken can and should be recovered and reused in different ways, thereby securing natural resources from over-exploitation. In order to meet CE assumptions, modern and innovative technologies that allow for the recovery of valuable materials should be developed. This also applies to eco-innovation that connects technology development with environmental aspects. It is therefore obvious that issues of CE and eco-innovation are linked, and a uniform methodology aimed at compare the levels of moving to CE including eco-innovation solutions should be established. Because the focus in European Union (EU) has been paid on regions, measuring of CE-eco-innovations levels is especially important at the regional level. In this paper, the proposals of CE indicators, based on eco-innovation factors, which can be possible to create based on existing data set (Eurostat, Cohesion policy) are presented. It is recommend to use of five group indicators for measuring regional CE-eco-innovation. Based on Eco-Innovation Scoreboard which describes innovation measurement, three of proposed indicator groups are associated directly with innovations, taking into account the principles of CE: CE-eco-innovation inputs, CE-eco-innovation activities and CE-eco-innovation outputs, and other two groups of indicators are effects of the CE-eco-innovation introduction: resource efficiency outcomes and socio-economic outcomes. This way of measuring CE-eco-innovation allows for create holistic, systematic and integrated approach for the CE concept at the regional level. Proposed indicators can be used in current transition stage for assessment of implementation regional policy and as a base for creation final CE indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic pollution is a ubiquitous and universally recognized environmental threat, and bioplastics have emerged as a potential solution to this issue in the last years. Being biobased and biodegradable, bioplastics have a reduced carbon footprint with respect to plastics, and they are not expected to accumulate and fragmentate in the environments as plastics do. Nevertheless, some bioplastics drawbacks such as their slow biodegradation in engineered (i.e., anaerobic digestion and composting) and natural (i.e., soil and water) environments have been used by sceptics to discredit bioplastics, and this have induced policy makers to use a precautionary approach to the topic (i.e., including bioplastics in the ban of single use products and in the count of inert materials in organic fertilizers). Using a simplified ecologic risk assessment analysis, this Opinion paper aimed to show that bioplastics that are proven to be intrinsically biodegradable are always a better choice than plastics. Having a residence time in natural environments of about 1–10 years, the likelihood of bioplastics causing harmful effects on living organisms is about 100–1000 times lower than plastics that resides thousands of years in the environments. Taking this into consideration, policy makers are asked to revise recent regulations and directives to enhance bioplastics diffusion and fight plastic pollution. In this sense, Single Use Plastic Directive 2019/904 may exclude biodegradable bioplastic items from the ban, and European Regulation on Fertilizers 2019/1009 may exclude biodegradable bioplastics residues from the count of inert materials in organic fertilizers. Bioplastics collection within biowastes and subsequent anaerobic digestion should be also favoured, in order to force controlled bioplastics biodegradation into biogas and reduce their leakage into the environment, resulting in the enhanced circularity of bioplastics products. [Display omitted] • Bioplastics are less hazardous than plastics due to their intrinsic biodegradability. • Policymakers should not be guided solely by the disadvantages of bioplastics. • Single-use plastic Directive needs to exclude biodegradable items from the ban. • Fertilizers regulation should not consider bioplastics' residues as inert materials. • Sorted collection of bioplastics with biowastes and their AD should be enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Daily human's activities produce waste which, since it is considered useless, is mostly thrown away. Many of these waste materials can be reused however and, if properly handled, can also become a resource for industrial or energy production. The way we live today generates massive quantities of waste and most people want to maintain their lifestyle, while preserving the environment and public health. Waste management has become one of the most critical issues today. Businesses, citizens and policymakers pursue ways to minimize the waste generated from most homes and businesses while reusing or disposing it in a cleaner and cost-effective way. The aim of this paper is to provide background information on these issues and challenges involved in urban solid waste management and to provide a basis for input on relevant European actions carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

End-of-life vehicles (ELV) represent a relevant waste source in Europe, even if ELV recycling is a priority of the European Union waste legislation and Environment Action Programmes (EAPs). End-of-Life Tires (ELTs) constitute a relevant portion of ELV waste. Textile fibre, which is a relevant portion of the ELT material, is considered as a special waste (European Waste Catalogue – EWC code 19.12.08). The main problem related to textile fibre is its contamination with rubber which does not allow to obtain a pure product economically and qualitatively useable. The aim of this paper is to illustrate an innovative technology for ELT fibre's recycling, which allows to transform textile fibre into a useful secondary raw material for different applications. In particular, the use of ELT fibre as additive for bituminous conglomerates has been investigated. The different processes have been analysed from an environmental point of view, applying the Life Cycle Assessment methodology. It came up there is an impact reduction in case the ELT fibre is reused as additive for bituminous conglomerates, instead of disposing it (through incineration). Moreover, the financial and economic sustainability of the related technological process has been evaluated to check whether the process is sustainable in the long term. Starting from the results of the Life Cycle Assessment, economic performance indicators have been calculated, by applying the European Commission methodology for cost-benefit analysis. According to the present cost-benefit analysis, in the medium and long term the system is financially viable, and the high economic profitability makes the process economically sustainable. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis as well as a risk assessment have been carried out in order to identify critical variables, evaluate risks and define risk mitigation measures. According to the sensitivity analysis performed, the project is not highly risky since even in the worst scenario the possible loss is moderate. Based on the results of this analysis, it can be concluded that this ELT fibre's recycling system can be replicated across Europe, conveniently fostered by national policies (such as subsidies, value added tax etc.). • A crucial technological add-on to existing installations is illustrated. • The aim is to transform ELT textile fibre into a useful secondary raw material for different applications. • ELT fibre's reuse presents a reduced environmental impact in comparison to the fibre's incineration. • The high economic profitability makes this recycling system economically sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind energy has become a very interesting option regarding the replacement of fossil-based energy sources by renewable options. Despite its eco-friendly character, some challenges remain across the whole lifecycle of wind turbines. These are mainly related to the use of more sustainable materials and processes in the construction phase, to lifetime extension for the structures currently installed and to waste management at the end-of-life phase, the disassembly or decommissioning phase. Following worldwide concerns about sustainability, the circular economy and decarbonization, several projects have been addressing the themes identified, proposing alternatives that are more suitable and contribute to the body of knowledge in the sector towards enhanced environmental and technical performance. This work presents the state of the art of the European wind energy sector, reflecting on the main drivers, barriers and challenges for circularity, while identifying knowledge gaps and strategic opportunities to develop new potential approaches. A compilation of key projects and main wind energy sites in Europe is shown, as well as a collection of lifecycle extension strategies and reported environmental impacts. Approaches to sustainability are highlighted, such as recyclability, eco-design and eco-efficiency of the turbine blades. Furthermore, the associated potential environmental, economic and societal impacts are put forward to support the implementation of more circular solutions, which can also contribute to reducing EU energy dependency and more integration of renewable sources. The key goal is to give an overview of the main challenges in the sector, namely, in what relates to potential circular solutions and strategies towards a higher level of sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The largest human organ, the skin, serves a variety of essential functions including protection, preservation of water and electrolytes, regulation of body temperature, and fat storage. Its maintenance and preservation are supported by cosmetic products, whose functions include cleaning, protection, and modulation. The market for these products is predicted to increase from 100.13 billion USD in 2021 to 145.82 billion USD in 2028. Recently, it has been suggested that grape by-products (totalling 14.5 million tons per year just in Europe) has a great potential to be used in the creation of new cosmetic products. In this regard, this article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the bioactive compounds in grape pomace, the advantages of applying them to the skin, and the main cosmetic products already on the market incorporating these bioactives. Most of these compounds are derived from the Vitis vinifera L. species, and exhibit several biological properties, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, inhibition of skin degrading enzymes, protection from UVA damage, increased cell viability, and skin whitening effect. On the other hand, nanoencapsulation techniques can provide a significant improvement in the stability of grape-derived bioactive compounds, in particular of resveratrol, and this issue is also addressed in a critical manner in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture, one of the main economic pillars in Europe, plays a growing important role towards the environmental sustainability of the extra-urban land, in which the agricultural activities may proactively contribute to control and regulate the whole ecological conditions. Modern agriculture currently needs big quantities of agrochemicals, which are necessary for the growth and protection of crops and animals. These agrochemicals are commercially distributed to consumers in many types of containers. The most widely used packaging solutions usually employ plastic materials (e.g., containers for liquid pesticide; sacks for granular fertiliser; etc.). These materials, after the use of the agrochemical, need to be decontaminated, before being entrained in a recycling process, in the framework of a circular economy. In the present paper the main results coming from a EU-funded international project are reported, with specific reference to a pilot station that was realised in Italy with the aim to implement and test a codified system for the decontamination of these plastic containers for agrochemicals. The experimental tests were supported by relevant laboratory analysis, which have confirmed that the triple-rinsing decontamination procedure - traditionally employed by farmers for washing and decontaminating these containers - may be effective only under some well-defined conditions. Triple rinsing by farmers has indeed led to an only partial decontamination of the plastic containers, if farmers did not follow an appropriate triple-rinsing protocol, or did not triple-rinse the containers immediately after their emptying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While firms' investment in Industry 4.0 and adoption of circular economy practices are seen as indispensable to a sustainable economy, synergies from the interaction of these two received less systematic empirical treatment. These synergies are particularly important in Europe, given that both the digital and the green transitions are Europe's strategic political priorities, and the "twin" transitions are expected to reinforce each other. By investigating the link between Industry 4.0 technologies and circular economy practices for European SMEs, which have an important place in the European economy and are responsible for a significant amount of waste, this study aims to uncover the potential of digital transition in supporting green transition. Using the ReSOLVE framework as the conceptual background, this paper examines the effect of Industry 4.0 technologies on SMEs' circular economy applications among EU countries using firm-level data from SMEs, Start-ups, Scale-ups, and Entrepreneurship (Flash Eurobarometer 486) Survey in 2020. The results of econometric analyses provide evidence of a statistically significant positive effect of Industry 4.0 technologies on circular economy practices. These findings imply that a key policy priority should be to plan to spread Industry 4.0 components to improve and enhance SMEs' circular economy practices. Overall, the results indicate that Industry 4.0 technologies serve not only Europe's digital and industrial strategies but also its environmental strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition from current linear economy toward a circular economy (CE) needs the adoption and diffusion of circular economy innovation (CEI). However, the rate and direction of CEI influenced by policy instruments are still not well understood. This paper explores the roles of demand-pull and technology-push policy instruments in shaping CEI in Europe. The different impacts on the adoption across different sectors and the specific effects on each circularity innovation pattern are also examined. The findings indicate that both command-and-control regulation and technology-push instruments are significant in stimulating Small Medium Enterprises' (SMEs') adoption of CEI. While the environmental tax hinders SMEs' implementation of CEI in the whole economic activity sectors, it is a significant driver of CEI for SMEs in the manufacturing sector. The technology-push instrument strongly encourages SMEs to invest in re-planning and re-designing activities to minimize the usage or maximize the re-usage of water, energy, and materials. Environmental tax highly determines SMEs' adoption of CEI related to improving energy efficiency. In contrast, the command-and-control regulation significantly increases SMEs' likelihood to undertake innovation activity in minimizing waste by recycling or reusing the waste. Our study elucidates the potential interactions between policy instruments and CEI, paving the way toward the desirable CE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing production of green technologies (such as electric vehicles and systems for renewable electricity production, e.g., wind turbine) is increasing the rare earth element (REE) demands. These metals are considered critical for Europe for their economic relevance and the supply risk. The end-of-life permanent magnets are considered a potential secondary resource of REEs thanks to their content of neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr) or dysprosium (Dy). The scientific literature reports many techniques for permanent magnet recovery. This work used a life cycle assessment (LCA) to identify the most sustainable choice, suggesting the possible improvements to reduce the environmental load. Three different processes are considered: two hydrometallurgical treatments (the first one with HCl and the other one with solid-state chlorination), and a pyrometallurgical technique. The present paper aims to push the stakeholders towards the implementation of sustainable processes for end-of-life permanent magnet exploitation at industrial scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • P recovery has the potential to lessen the pressure on P imports dependency of the EU. • European countries have enacted legislation for promoting P recovery. • Waste streams and eutrophic environments can be promising P recycling resources. • Literature review on engineering approaches for P release and recovery is presented. • Commercial engineering applications for P recovery in the EU are assessed. Phosphorus (P), one of the essential and indispensable elements for the growth of living organisms, is finite and nonrenewable for a multitude of applications. Economic P recycling can contribute to sustainable P management and lessen the pressure on P imports of the EU. Several European countries now have paved the way for establishing P recovery legislation and successively implemented compulsory recycling from P-rich wastes. This paper provided a comprehensive review for analyzing the potential of existing P recycling resources and engineering technologies in terms of their feasibility and applicability in Europe. Potential P-rich flows from the waste streams and eutrophic environments were deeply investigated. Regarding their technical principles, application, and availability, different engineering approaches for P release enhancement and P recovery were also reviewed in a critical manner. Moreover, assessments on engineering applications for P recycling considering economic feasibility and environmental benefits were also presented. Wastewater treatment plants show promising recovery efficiency, whereas industrial processes with sludge ashes as input allow up to 95% recovery of P. Collectively, in Europe, efficient and sustainable management of P has been recognized as a necessary strategy to meet the growing demand for mineral P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Europe, around 31 million tonnes of food by-products are generated during primary production and trade. The management of these by-products may cause a negative impact, both at the economic and environmental levels, for both industry and society. In this regard, taking into consideration that these by-products retain the dietary fibre compositions and the bioactive compounds of the starting materials, plant food agro-industries have an interest in taking advantage of them, from a nutritional point of view. Therefore, this review evaluates the role of dietary fibre and bioactive compounds in these by-products as well as the potential interactions of both components and their implications for health, since the bioactive compounds associated with fibre may reach the colon, where they can be metabolised into postbiotic compounds, providing important health benefits (prebiotic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, etc.). Consequently, this aspect, on which there are few studies, is very relevant and must be considered in the revaluation of by-products to obtain new ingredients for food processing with improved nutritional and technological properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracting pieces of concrete from obsolete buildings and reusing them, as is, in new assemblies is today rarely considered a strategy for improving the sustainability of the construction sector. By delaying the crushing of concrete into aggregates and avoiding the need for fresh cement in new buildings, the circular strategy is however expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and threats to natural ecosystems. In reaction, the authors postulate that (1) built precedents of Piecewise Reuse of Extracted Concrete in new Structures (PRECS) have existed for several decades, (2) a large diversity of proven implementation techniques is readily available but knowledge is fragmented, (3) barriers to a broader adoption can be inferred from the existing documentation and are largely transitional. To support these postulates, this study first builds an original collection of 77 PRECS projects designed between 1967 and 2022 in Europe and the U.S.A. Next, a diachronic analysis determines seven historical trends and three periods since 1967, shedding new light on the development of PRECS and its design possibilities. Supporting and limiting forces for a broader adoption of PRECS are then identified through a synchronic analysis. Recommendations for future research directions are also given. In conclusion, this paper demonstrates that the reuse of concrete components is a practice with already a long history and several successful operations in terms of environmental impact and cost, which hence supports the potential of PRECS to become a more widespread strategy of cleaner construction. • Reusing concrete pieces in new structures is a rarely considered sustainability strategy. • An original database of 77 concrete reuse case studies is built and analyzed. • Ecological benefits are confirmed for a wide range of built cases. • Circumstances leading to economic benefits are identified. • Industrial and scientific developments can accelerate the strategy implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition to green economies has been mediated by concrete cases and experiments in a variety of different industrial and social sectors. What is lacking, is research that would synthesize key findings and “lessons learned” across a variety of cases. In this study, we explore ten cases of green economy of different sectors and approaches from five European countries and identify factors that have had critical importance for the success or failure of the cases. Our paper reveals similarities across small and large scale cases and different approaches for implementing green economy. We identified critical factors related to economic viability, public funding, technological development, impact assessments, public policies and regulation, social capital, leadership and coordination as well as public acceptability and image. According to our results, transition to green economies requires negotiation between potential trade-offs among multiple goals, and interests of various stakeholders. The mutual benefits can be communicated through valid impact assessments and the integration of R&D into the practical implementation. Securing the continuity of funding and leadership is crucial in successful experiments and attention should be paid to fostering social capital among stakeholders. Instead of any single critical factor, the practical implementation of green economy is related to a multiplicity of factors and causalities depending on the context. The challenges with the practical implementation of green economy can only be met with patient, careful and far-sighted planning of green economy initiatives as well as continuous learning from past experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), has a great bioconversion potential and ability to develop on diverse substrates. Although the use of catering waste and food by-products containing meat and fish would reduce the footprint of the insect sector, to date, in Europe, their use is still facing legal obstacles for insects as food and feed. Since a major request from the EU insect sector is to diversify the spectrum of allowed substrates, and considering that variations in diet composition could influence insect immune responses, we evaluated the impact of different catering wastes on BSF prepupae immunity. Insects were reared on five diets: one based on feed for laying hens and four based on catering waste containing (i) fruits and vegetables; (ii) fruits, vegetables and bread; (iii) fruit, vegetables, bread and dairy products; (iv) fruits, vegetables, bread, meat and fish. The gene expression of two antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), one defensin and one cecropin, was assessed. Moreover, the hemolymph inhibitory activity against Escherichia coli DH5α and Micrococcus yunnanensis HI55 was evaluated using diffusion assays in solid media. The up-regulation of both AMPs' encoding genes was observed in insects fed a bread-added and dairy product-added diet. All hemolymph samples showed inhibitory activity against both bacteria, affecting the colony size and number. The obtained results show how catering waste positively influences the H. illucens immune system. The possibility of modulating AMP expression levels through the diet opens up new perspectives in the management of insect health in mass rearings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus raw materials are non-renewable, and their resources are shrinking faster and faster as a result of increased fertilizer production. This is due to the increasing population and the need to produce more food. Phosphorus, on the other hand, is one of the main nutrients of plants, without which it is impossible to conduct intensive agricultural production. There are no economically significant phosphate resources in Europe, so they must be imported. That is why it is so important to reduce losses and recover this element from waste streams, which was reflected in the new EU Regulation 2019/1009. A prospective option is to use waste phosphates from the production of polyether polyols. Previous studies show that they contain about 20% phosphorus. Due to their high water content, the most advantageous form of their application is the production of fertilizers in the form of a suspension. The aim of the study is to assess the possibility of using waste phosphates from the production of polyols as raw materials for the production of suspension fertilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last few decades, the European steel industry has focused its efforts on the improvement of by-product recovery and quality, based not only on existing technologies, but also on the development of innovative sustainable solutions. These activities have led the steel industry to save natural resources and to reduce its environmental impact, resulting in being closer to its "zero-waste" goal. In addition, the concept of Circular Economy has been recently strongly emphasised at a European level. The opportunity is perceived of improving the environmental sustainability of the steel production by saving primary raw materials and costs related to by-products and waste landfilling. The aim of this review paper was to analyse the most recent results on the reuse and recycling of by-products of the steelmaking cycles as well as on the exploitation of by-products from other activities outside the steel production cycle, such as alternative carbon sources (e.g., biomasses and plastics). The most relevant results are identified and a global vision of the state-of-the-art is extracted, in order to provide a comprehensive overview of the main outcomes achieved by the European steel industry and of the ongoing or potential synergies with other industrial sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research background: Economic growth is unsustainable. However, a circular economy has the potential to lead to sustainable development, while decoupling economic growth from the negative consequences of resource depletion and environmental degradation. The EU's strategy of climate neutralization in 2050 developed, inter alia, into a European Green Deal action plan aiming at the efficient use of resources by moving to a cleaner, circular economy. More sustainable EU food system is a cornerstone of the European Green Deal. The European Commission's goal is 25% of agricultural land to be used for organic production in 2030. The question is if it is possible to reach the objective with the use of current incentives. What else may be done to encourage European farmers to convert to organic farming? Purpose of the article: The aim of this research is to review the development of organic agriculture in Europe and the EU and to identify incentives for farmers to convert to organic farming. Methods: First of all, the methodological approach is to iteratively review the existing literature to frame the problem. Secondly, the data on organic agriculture in Europe is to be analyzed to answer the research questions. The analysis is based on international statistics, mainly collected by FiBL, IFOAM, EC Agri-food data portal and Eurostat. Fitting the trend functions to the actual data has been made in three scenarios (pessimistic, realistic and optimistic). These trend functions were used for the long-term forecasts of the share of organic farmland in the EU. Findings & value added: The long-run forecast might be treated as a goal, which can motivate to act more intensively to achieve the objective. The existing measures, including organic farming payments, are not sufficient to meet the goal of massive increase in the acreage under organic production. It is necessary to develop new incentives e.g. Green Public Procurement, innovative and effective media campaigns, development of a dynamic network of actors within the organic food supply chain with the use of blockchain technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The environmental performance of PU-gypsum ceiling tile and standard gypsum ceiling tile has been investigated. • Several forms of environmental impact have been analysed. • A comparative cradle-to-grave LCA of two gypsum ceiling tiles has been carried out, the PU-gypsum ceiling tile having better results. • The LCA includes the production and construction phases, use and end of life, the production stage being the main contributor to the environmental impact. In this paper, the LCA of two gypsum ceiling tiles is compared, the first one is a traditional gypsum tile and the second is a new eco ceiling tile in which polyurethane foam waste has been incorporated. Both tiles were made at one of the largest gypsum tile factories in Europe. The life cycle assessment has been considered from cradle to grave for which the corresponding production stages have been defined. This includes the extraction and transportation of raw materials, the manufacturing process, transportation to the client, the use of the product and the end of its useful life. The results show that the tile with polyurethane has a better environmental performance than the standard commercial ceiling tile. This is quantified as a 14% reduction in energy consumption, a 14% reduction in CO 2 emissions and a 25% reduction in water consumption compared with the standard tile, all the while maintaining the technical performance. An analysis of the results suggests that the new eco product has a competitive advantage on the market thanks to its environmental improvements and good technical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to identify circular economy concept trends of Latin America with regards to Europe, in which a systematic review of literature (SRL) was made using Scopus data in order to define the search, to select the relevant articles, and to analyze the results. Seventy‐one articles from Scopus were reviewed, and the analysis was complemented by the analysis with 57 documents from other scientific Web browsers such as Mendeley, Scopus, Academic Google, ScienceDirect, and SciELo which sum a total of 128 documents which the majority have come from Europe. Main concepts were identified, barriers and trends. The main conclusion was which the current concept is not very clear; in spite of Europe knows that limitation, Latin America is making the same mistake implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a simple method for all waste recovery through municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) is presented. For the first time, MSWI fly ash (FA) is treated using MSWI bottom ash (BA), which is considered as a new urban mining source due to its pozzolanic characteristics. The proposed technology involves mixing these ashes with two other components: flue gas desulphurization residue and coal fly ash. Thermal annealing at a low temperature (120 °C for 4 h) can also be performed, to accelerate some reactions, but it is not necessary for stabilization. The efficacy of the process is demonstrated by the comparison of elemental concentrations in leaching solutions that are detected in the untreated ashes and the obtained stabilized materials, which show the reduced solubility of leachable Zn and Pb (with respect to the starting MSWI FA). The chemical, morphological, and structural characterization of the obtained materials makes it possible to propose and discuss a stabilization mechanism, which was attributed to carbonation and formation of calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H). In particular, for the stabilized sample, X-ray Diffraction analysis confirmed the formation of calcite, whereas the sample morphology shows some fibrils that may be due to amorphous C–S–H with a Ca/Si ratio that is slightly smaller than 1.5. Because the proposed method employs wastes produced at the same location, it is reasonable to conclude that the method may be directly applied to incinerator plants due to the simplification of the MSWI FA waste management strategy, which generally involves its transport and stabilization treatment before landfilling. Finally the saved carbon dioxide emissions and the economic benefits that are a result of the new urban mining proposed approach have been evaluated for Europe. In particular the avoid of MSWI FA landfilling was evaluated to save approximately 1.6 M€/day, and the saved carbon dioxide emissions introduced into the atmosphere is approximately 960 kt/year. • A new urban mining strategy for MSWI FA stabilization is proposed. • Reuse of the finest BA parts is suggested due to their amorphous components. • Pb and Zn stabilization occurred because of carbonation and pozzolanic reactions. • This treatment technology may be directly applied to incinerator plants. • The proposed approach fulfils the requirements of a circular economic policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of environmental information is crucial in driving individuals' environmentally relevant behaviors. The aim of this paper is to shed light on the impact of different sources of information and trust in information providers on four behaviors related to waste management and resource efficiency. In order to consider dynamic effects related to behaviors of different age groups, we adopt a pseudo-panel approach using data from three cross-sectional Eurobarometer surveys. The use of multivariate regression analysis allows us to show the existence of complementarities among "similar" behaviors. Our results suggest that the use of eco-information sources and trust in different providers significantly affect green behaviors of EU citizens towards a 'truly' circular economic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaerobic Digestion (AD) is a process that is well-known and fast-developing in Europe. AD generates large amounts of digestate, especially in livestock-intensive areas. Digestate has potential environmental issues due to nutrients (such as nitrogen) lixiviation or volatilization. Using liquid digestate as a nutrient source for microalgae growth is considered beneficial because digestate could be valorized and upgraded by the production of an added value product. In this work, microalgal biomass produced using liquid digestate from an agricultural biogas plant was investigated as a slow-release fertilizer in tomatoes. Monoraphidium sp. was first cultivated at different dilutions (1:20, 1:30, 1:50), in indoor laboratory-scale trials. The optimum dilution factor was determined to be 1:50, with a specific growth rate of 0.13 d−1 and a complete nitrogen removal capacity in 25 days of culture. Then, outdoor experiments were conducted in a 110 dm3 vertical, closed photobioreactors (PBRs) in batch and semi-continuous mode with 1:50 diluted liquid digestate. During the batch mode, the microalgae were able to remove almost all NH4+ and 65 (±13) % of PO43−, while the microalgal growth rate reached 0.25 d−1. After the batch mode, the cultures were switched to operate under semi-continuously conditions. The cell densities were maintained at 1.3 × 107 cells mL−1 and a biomass productivity around 38.3 mg TSS L−1 d−1 during three weeks was achieved, where after that it started to decline due to unfavorable weather conditions. Microalgae biomass was further tested as a fertilizer for tomatoes growth, enhancing by 32% plant growth in terms of dry biomass compared with the control trials (without fertilization). Similar performances were achieved in tomato growth using synthetic fertilizer or digestate. Finally, the leaching effect in soils columns without plant was tested and after 25 days, only 7% of N was leached when microalgae were used, against 50% in the case of synthetic fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) underpinned by 169 targets presents national governments with huge challenges for implementation. We developed a proposal for a National Blueprint Framework (NBF) with 24 water-related indicators, centered on SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation for all), each with a specific target. We applied the NBF to 28 EU Member States (EU-28) and conclude that: The current SDG 6 indicators are useful for monitoring progress toward water-related targets but their usefulness can be improved by focusing more on their practical implementation. The extension of SDG 6 with complementary indicators (e.g. for the circular economy of water) and quantitative policy targets is urgently needed. This will benefit the communication process and progress at the science-policy interface. SDG indicators can be improved in a SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) manner and by setting clear policy targets for each indicator, allowing for measuring distance-to-targets. This allows country-to-country comparison and learning, and accelerates the SDG implementation process. We propose 24 water-related indicators centered on SDG 6, with complementary indicators including quantitative policy targets. The approach is doable, easily scalable, and flexibly deployable by collecting information for the EU-28. Main gaps in the EU-28 are observed for water quality, wastewater treatment, nutrient, and energy recovery, as well as climate adaptation to extreme weather events (heat, droughts, and floods). The framework was less successful for non-OECD countries due to lack of data and EU-centric targets for each indicator. This needs further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities play a prominent role in our economic development as more than 80 % of the gross world product (GWP) comes from cities. Only 600 urban areas with just 20 % of the world population generate 60 % of the GWP. Rapid urbanization, climate change, inadequate maintenance of water and wastewater infrastructures and poor solid waste management may lead to flooding, water scarcity, water pollution, adverse health effects and rehabilitation costs that may overwhelm the resilience of cities. These megatrends pose urgent challenges in cities as the cost of inaction is high. We present an overview about population growth, urbanization, water, waste, climate change, water governance and transitions. Against this background, we discuss the categorization of cities based on our baseline assessments, i.e. our City Blueprint research on 45 municipalities and regions predominantly in Europe. With this bias towards Europe in mind, the challenges can be discussed globally by clustering cities into distinct categories of sustainability and by providing additional data and information from global regions. We distinguish five categories of sustainability: (1) cities lacking basic water services, (2) wasteful cities, (3) water-efficient cities, (4) resource-efficient and adaptive cities and (5) water-wise cities. Many cities in Western Europe belong to categories 3 and 4. Some cities in Eastern Europe and the few cities we have assessed in Latin America, Asia and Africa can be categorized as cities lacking basic water services. Lack of water infrastructures or obsolete infrastructures, solid waste management and climate adaptation are priorities. It is concluded that cities require a long-term framing of their sectoral challenges into a proactive and coherent Urban Agenda to maximize the co-benefits of adaptation and to minimize the cost. Furthermore, regional platforms of cities are needed to enhance city-to-city learning and to improve governance capacities necessary to accelerate effective and efficient transitions towards water-wise cities. These learning alliances are needed as the time window to solve the global water governance crisis is narrow and rapidly closing. The water sector can play an important role but needs to reframe and refocus radically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lovage (Levisticum officinale W.D.J. Koch) is an aromatic plant from the Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) family used as a condiment in several regions of Europe and also described to have medicinal properties. While the aerial parts are used as foods, the roots are generally discarded. In the past, lovage roots were used in folk medicine for their diuretic, carminative, and spasmolytic properties. Therefore, the exploitation of this undervalued part of the plant can be a source of valuable bioactive compounds for food and/or pharmaceutical industries. Thus, in this study, extracts of different polarity were prepared and studied regarding their chemical composition and bioactive properties. To the best of our knowledge, the composition in phenolic compounds and the volatile profile of the n-hexane extract are reported for the first time. A total of 24 compounds were identified by GC-MS in the n-hexane extract, evidencing a high relative abundance of phthalides. A total of eight phenolic compounds were identified in lovage root extracts (decoction and hydroethanolic extract), with vanillic acid being the major compound. Regarding antioxidant activity, also reported for the first time, decoction and hydroethanolic extract exhibited a high antioxidant capacity in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) (179 ± 11 μg/mL) and in oxidative hemolysis (OxHLIA) assays (510 ± 6 μg/mL), respectively. n-Hexane extract showed relevant anti-proliferative activity against all tumor cell lines tested (GI50, 48–69 μg/mL), despite inhibiting also the growth of a non-tumoral hepatocyte cell line, however, presenting a significantly higher GI50 value (147 μg/mL). This study revealed that lovage root, an agri-food residue, can be a source of valuable bioactive compounds also presenting biological properties that deserve being explored, which could lead to a circular economy for food and/or the pharmaceutical industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current linear economic system has led Europe to unsustainable development, aggravating several issues, such as climate change, limitation of resources, and pollution. As a sustainable alternative, circular economy (CE) has been promoted around the world. This economic system allows for the maximization of a product's life, thus decreasing its environmental impact and increasing its value. The main goal of this work is to scrutinise the concepts of CE over time, from the beginning of the concept, to its implementation in Europe and its application in Portugal. In addition, the requirement for strategies that led to studies on regional urban metabolism are addressed. Another goal is to examine Portugal and see how the country is dealing with the implementation of strategies for CE, moving from concept to practice. This part of the work resulted in the creation of the REMET-UA model, a tool to assess the regional economic metabolism, which also has the potential to evaluate synergies of materials in terms of fluxes between regions, maximizing the amount of information available at this scale for municipalities and enterprises to be used, having taken into account the purpose of circular economy. The results showed that REMET-UA is fully operational and corresponds to the goal for which the model was made. Future developments have been identified and are underway to improve the model and bring it as close to reality as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]