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This comprehensive review explores recent advancements in the manufacturing of cellulose nanofiber (CNF)-based cellulose nanopaper (CNP). The analysis delves into customizing CNPs through nanofiber manufacturing, mechanical refining, and chemical treatments. The report underscores the growing interest in CNPs derived from CNF due to their exceptional properties and eco-friendly attributes. CNP strength significantly enhanced through mechanical refining encompassing cellulose nanofibrillation were breaking down of cellulose into nanofibers takes place. Conversely, dense CNF network formed through filtration and casting method. Chemical treatments such as dispersion, functionalization, and coating methods followed by drying and consolidation introduce custom functionalities for diverse applications. These applications span packaging, electronics, energy harvesting, EMI shielding, optoelectronics, nanogenerators, transparent conducting films, water treatment, bioelectronics, and neuromorphic computing. The study conducts an in-depth investigation to assess CNP's effects on promoting sustainability and minimizing environmental waste, making a significant contribution to the circular economy. This investigation underscores the pursuit of innovation and aligns with the principles of progressing toward a more environmentally sustainable future. [Display omitted] • Explores CNF production, refining and chemical treatments for CNP customization. • Remarkable properties of CNP draw academic and industrial interest. • CNP applied in packaging, electronics, energy, and environmental science. • Investigates role of CNP in circular economy. • Emphasizes CNPs as eco-friendly, fostering innovation and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of CaO for lime-based plaster and render generates 1.2 t CO 2 /t CaO, consumes 1.78 t CaCO 3 /t CaO. This research paper examines the environmental and economic performance of upcycling paper mill sludge (PMS) and carbide lime (CL) as replacements for hydrated lime (HL) in lime-based plasters production. For this, a new Cradle-to-Gate industrial-scale inventory is designed, upscaling recent lab-scale innovations, investigating PMS and CL treatment processes, followed by a Cradle-to-Grave scenario analysis. The results show that incorporating CL in the plaster yields better environmental and economic outcomes compared to PMS. The intermediate treatment for CL is cost-effective and has low carbon emissions. The upcycling of CL eliminates 100% of CO 2 emissions, while PMS reduces emissions by 11%. The production of the traditional binder HL is more expensive than upcycling PMS (+69%) and CL (+65%), with carbon taxes accounting for 35%, 44% and 15% of production costs, respectively. The effect of an equilibrated carbon price to ensure fair market competition, considering the natural carbonation of lime (carbon credit) is discussed, and the cost assessment reveals a 47% and 54% reduction for upcycled plasters using PMS and CL, respectively, compared to traditional HL. [Display omitted] • Availability, properties, and treatments of secondary lime resources. • Industrial-scale inventory for upcycling carbide lime (CL) & paper sludge (PS). • Cradle-to-Grave assessment: CL reduces CO 2 most, trailed by PS and hydrated lime. • Key factors for Cradle-to-Grave impact: lime kiln heat consumption (PS) and drying operation (CL). • Cost analysis of carbon taxes and credits across the material's life-cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to show how taxation of intermediate items produced from virgin and recycled materials negatively impacts closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) results (labor, capital, returns, outputs, prices, profits, and dead-weight-loss). It offers remedies to alleviate tax inefficiencies. After formulating upstream and downstream production functions and recycling process, a Stackelberg game framework is analytically solved and data from steel industry and automobile stimulus program in the US are used to obtain numerical results. The results show that an optimum collection channel along with endogenous consumer return behavior can improve outcomes and reduce inefficiencies stemming from output taxation. The principal policy implication is that American, Chinese, Canadian, and German governments' tax incentive programs applied to items produced from recyclables are a sound strategy in the way of spurring their circular economies, improving environmental sustainability, and reducing economic loss. [Display omitted] • Legislators aim to reduce environmental impact of used products and propel sustainable business. • However, governments interventions can distort circular economy outcomes. • This paper proposes remedies to reduce economic and environmental distortions. • The remedies include optimal collection channel and incentive-responsive return program. • The paper quantifies the outcomes in the steel industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular economy (CE) adoption is spreading worldwide, and it aims at decoupling the creation of value from resource consumption, leading to sustainable and responsible production and consumption as highlighted in the Sustainable Development Goal 12. The circular transition will ask for the transformation of the companies and the workforce, from both qualitative and quantitative perspectives. The set of required skills will be influenced by the circular transition, while the degree of implementation of circular activities will depend on the availability of adequate skills. Nevertheless, the extant literature has not reached a consensus on which competences are required for a circular transition, and few studies have approached this topic at all. This paper presents a systematic literature review to identify and categorize the skills that can facilitate the adoption of circular practices in manufacturing companies. The identified skills were systematically organized within a structured framework extending Porter's Value Chain. Leveraging the literature review's findings, the paper proposes a series of ideal job profiles for circular manufacturing, and it outlines some preliminary education and training paths. This research contributes to the current body of literature and practical understanding on the "human dimension" of circular manufacturing. [Display omitted] • Systematic literature review on skills required for circular manufacturing. • Skill classification based on circular manufacturing value-added activities. • Ideal job profiles modelled on the most relevant skills mentioned in literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The textile and clothing industry is a significant global sector due to its economic and social contributions. However, it is one of the most polluting industries. There has been a significant uptake of research on circular economy implementation to reduce its environmental impacts. Nevertheless, there is a critical gap in reviewing how the research field is evolving and what the core focus and underlying assumptions of the existing research are. This paper utilises bibliometrics, content analysis, and problematisation to comprehensively examine the state of research. Analysing 132 primary documents dating from January 2014 to April 2023, this study reveals that sustainability-oriented innovation and transition challenges are the core focus of existing research. Technology-oriented circularity and its positive impact on sustainability is the in-house assumption that almost all studies are founded on. Besides unpacking the risk of such assumptions, this study provides tangible suggestions for future research on circular economy disruption, its rebound effect, and sustainability-oriented innovation. Although the time lag and language biases may have impacted the representation of current research trends, findings from this study can facilitate academic research and industry practice in implementing circular economy practices for a more sustainable future. • There is a significant uptake of research on CE implementation, its positive effects, challenges, and opportunities. • This paper utilises bibliometrics, content analysis, and problematisation to examine the research on CE in the TC industry. • Institutional factors, consumer behaviours, sustainability-oriented innovation and transition challenges are critical for CE. • The disruptive and rebound effect of CE, institutional isomorphism and innovation capability are future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of the circular economy in companies undoubtedly requires a transition of their business systems towards more environmentally oriented ones. However, there is a lack of empirical research on the topic in the micro-level. Based on a sample of 404 managers with positions of responsibility in SMEs that are in transition towards a circular economy, this paper analyses at the micro level, through the use of structural equation modelling, how internal and external drivers contribute to this transition process and, at the same time, how the process itself impacts the resilience of the company and, consequently, its transformation process. The obtained results contribute to the literature by observing that internal factors carry more weight than external factors when implementing the CE transition. They illustrate how resilience derived from the CE transition can foster transformative change and demonstrate the CE's impact beyond environmental sustainability, extending its influence into strategic management and organizational fields. [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]

This paper aims to explore the institutional logic of manufacturing companies in the transition to a sustainable and circular economy. The paper follows abductive reasoning and uses a qualitative methodology encompassing primary data collected from 16 interviews with manufacturing companies and supplementary data from web-scan analysis, observation and 15 interviews with public institutions and environmental experts. We identify four specific co-existing logics of the circular economy of manufacturing companies and explain operating conditions of each logic. Compliance and commercial logics reflect instrumental thinking, while value chain and value creation logics are more based on integrative thinking. To illustrate opposites of instrumental thinking and integrative thinking, we propose an analytical framework of circular logics, that consists of three pillars, that is homogeneity vs heterogeneity, techno-centric vs system-centric perspectives, compliance vs ethical responsibility. The originality also relates to the prioritization among different logics. • Four CE logics of manufacturing companies discovered. • Compliance and commercial logics reflect instrumental thinking, value chain and value creation logics are more based on integrative thinking. • We propose an analytical framework of CE logics that consists of three pillars. • Based on attributions of negative and positive factors, managers actually can prioritize integrative CE logics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This commentary is a practice expert essay based on review of scientific papers on phosphorus scarcity that provides a resumé of arguments relating to adequacy of phosphate rock (PR) resources to supply future requirements and an explanation as to why, although we cannot know how much will be available in future, we can say that the static lifetime is much more likely to be of the order of hundreds or even thousands of years rather than decades. Once the knowable facts are established, a case can be made for moving towards increased phosphate recycling and loss-reduction, based on the current inefficient use and the consequential harm done to the environment. Whilst these concerns are understandable, given that phosphate resources are finite and unsubstitutable, it is important to derive a true perspective in order that the most efficient use of financial and human resources can be deployed by governments. An assertion in 2010 that phosphorus mining would begin to be resource-constrained within decades proved false, but continues to be referred to by those advocating resource governance. Such assertions, when proved not to be accurate, run the risk of validating a 'cornucopian' view of mineral resource adequacy and diminish the tenets of ecological economics which, among other things, prescribe a move towards a circular economy, by cutting losses in the supply chain and increasing recycling. The phosphate supply industry has generally been less concerned about potential resource constrains than the academic community. It is true that, apart from a few larger state-owned producers, this lack of concern partly results from the industry's shorter-term economically-driven perspective which tends towards the cornucopian view. This short-term perspective of the commercial industry is at odds with the long-term mitigation of the impacts of mining that is a feature of ecological economics. In the phosphate industry mining and chemical processing has certainly led to major negative environmental legacies and impacts being deferred to future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world is evolving towards sustainability and optimum resource management, with a rapid evolution towards a circular economy (CE). The focus on sustainability in the food and beverage (FoodBev) sector is a priority due to the close association and dependency on natural resources. The evolution of digitalization has accelerated sustainable development of the FoodBev sector and helped preserve sectorial natural resources dependencies. Digital skills are a key component of sustainable development, as skills are used to identify and implement sustainable solutions. Digitalization and the CE in the FoodBev sector are considered critical solutions for food waste and food loss, and potential drivers of sustainability. This study seeks to deploy a smart value chain tool for food waste and food loss management, and a digital mechanism for the sustainability of the FoodBev sector. The research team designs, develops, and demonstrates a python-enabled digital toolset, configured to construct a specific global search for sustainable alternates for waste and other streams of the FoodBev industry. The toolset adopts a combination of Artificial Intelligence techniques including data analytics and Natural Language Processing. The results provide for rapid technological alternatives identification for the sector. The paper provides technological alternatives for 18 FoodBev value streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediment contamination has emerged as a pivotal concern within aquatic ecosystems, posing complex challenges to both ecological integrity and human health. This review comprehensively examines the current state of sediment pollution, with a focus on the physicochemical interactions and bioavailability of pollutants embedded in sediment matrices. Significant attention is given to the advancements in methodologies for pollutant detection and the development of cutting-edge remediation technologies. The review reveals a notable trend: conventional remediation methods are being progressively enhanced by sustainable approaches, such as phytoremediation and bioremediation, in alignment with circular economy principles. Additionally, this review synthesizes research on the extraction of valuable materials from sediments, including precious metals and organic substances for energy generation, highlighting the transformative potential of converting waste into valuable resources. The paper also addresses the multifarious challenges in sediment management, ranging from technical complexities to economic and regulatory hurdles, and discusses the collaborative roles of various stakeholders in developing effective policy frameworks. By weaving together multidisciplinary perspectives, this work significantly contributes to the discourse on sediment management, advocating for a paradigm shift towards resource recovery and sustainability. It emphasizes the critical need for a comprehensive approach to sediment contamination, one that equitably balances remediation efforts with resource conservation, thus providing strategic direction for future environmental stewardship within the realm of ecological science. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]