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Purpose. The paper proposes a new trajectory of institutional change that integrates economic (fiscal) and technical solutions in managing municipal waste. Methodology / approach. The study adopts a model for the study of institutional change. A retrospective, quantitative analysis of institutional change, a legal-historical analysis of formal institutions, and a comparative-institutional analysis are used to substantiate the link between municipal waste quantities and Gross domestic product (GDP) growth. Using correlation and regression analysis, we examine the relationship between institutional change in municipal waste management and recycling. Results. The study proves the impact of institutional change on municipal waste management in the EU and Bulgaria. It can change the relationship between GDP and the amount of waste and stimulate the implementation of more efficient and innovative waste management methods. The relationship between institutional change in municipal waste management are studied. The main idea is that more legal acts regulating municipal waste management and a higher human development index, wich reflects better and more efficient municipal waste management, will lead to higher recycling rates. The study discusses how institutional change aimed at effective municipal waste management can contribute to increased revenues and reduced costs for the government by promoting innovation in the sector, introducing more efficient waste collection and treatment technologies, and encouraging recycling. Originality / scientific novelty. The study highlights the lack of a unified direction in rules and policies for municipal waste management in Bulgaria and its impact on the system’s efficiency. It aims to present a new approach to solving the problems related to municipal waste management in Bulgaria that focuses on the importance of institutional change. Practical value / implications. The paper identifies differences between the municipal waste management systems in the EU and Bulgaria. The proposed financial and technical solutions help central and municipal administrations to create new institutions. These actions can be joint and better coordinated. All this should lead to changes in the regulatory framework. The new rules will contribute to stability and less need to change regulations, clarity for individuals and organisations to the optimal solutions for reducing municipal waste costs, and “pressure” on the central and local administration to take the necessary actions for such a change.

The present paper deals with waste management systems in the context of sustainability in selected municipalities. The author's team aimed to find the key waste groups according to the classification groups that have a major impact on the volume of waste and the cost of the system, thus facilitating management decision-making. In order to optimise the management of the entire waste management system from the perspective of the statutory municipality, it was first necessary to reduce the original list of 53 waste items to a significantly smaller number. With the help of waste management experts, criteria for reducing the number of waste input items were defined, resulting in a reduced statistical sample of 27 items. Each item is quantified by the amount of waste per year and the cost of the system per year. The mathematical apparatus consisted primarily of calculating average values as well as marginal slopes of waste quantity and cost. The interrelationships between waste groups were graphically recorded in perceptual maps. The individual analyses were carried out primarily for a statutory city, with secondary comparisons of the results with smaller towns and small villages. The analytical procedures verified that the catalogue of basic components of mixed municipal waste can be significantly reduced for decision-making in secondary resource management. The amount of waste selected in each group significantly impacts the cost of the whole waste management system. Of the original 15 waste groups, only three groups appear to be the main ones. The municipal waste group even has a decisive influence on both the quantity of waste and the cost of the whole system. Thanks to these findings, from the point of view of both the manager and the management of the statutory city, it is possible to focus on this core group, which contains the 13 original catalogue items. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agronomía & Ambiente is the property of Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The paper aims to develop a comparative and integrated analytical framework (CIAF) that will ensure an in-depth understanding of environmental triggers in Western (W) vs Eastern (E) Great Cities (GC) of the European Union (EU). Parameters corresponding to both environmental (EVD) and economic (ECD) dimensions were selected for each of the first 10 EU WGC and EGC, respectively. The EVD considers the impact of PM2.5. exposure, as well as municipal waste generation and days of strong heat stress, while the ECD considers the GDP, labour productivity, as well as unemployment rate, all connected to the demographical dynamics of the analysed urban areas. A machine-learning methodology, consisting of MLR and XGBoost algorithms, is used for the development of the CIAF. The results indicate significant peculiarities between both WGC and EGC and reveal high accuracy (>85%) in various prediction scenarios. The findings can be used as a basis for the future development of complex decision-support tools, tackling to optimize the environmental management in EU GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Polish Statistician / Wiadomości Statystyczne is the property of State Treasury - Statistics Poland and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Slags and ashes generated in thermal waste treatment facilities require proper management. In line with the principles of the circular economy, new, more economical, and ecological possibilities for utilizing these substances are sought. These waste materials exhibit characteristics similar to rocks in many aspects. This study focuses on analyzing the similarities and differences between nine selected rocks and three samples of slags and ashes obtained from municipal waste incineration. The main research device used was a polarizing microscope, using reflected, transmitted, and fluorescent light. Additionally, low-pressure gas adsorption equipment, as well as helium and quasi-liquid pycnometers, were used for complementary analysis. The parameters analyzed mainly covered broadly defined petrographic properties of rocks and slags, with a particular emphasis on porosity, porous structure, and the spatial distribution of pores and fractures. The conducted analyses confirmed a significant similarity between slags and ashes and clastic sedimentary rocks such as sandstones and mudstones. The research results underscore the importance of petrographic microscopic studies for analyzing materials other than rocks. They also allow for exploring applications for slags and ashes in areas traditionally reserved for natural rock resources. The findings also indicate the necessity of using methods other than microscopic ones to describe the pore space of rocks. The lower measurement range of the optical microscope is limited to approximately 1 μm, covering only macropores. Other methods extend this characteristic to micro- and mesopores. Therefore, a combination of different methods is often employed to obtain a more comprehensive characterization of rock porosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we compare the development and possibilities for improvement of waste management in three countries: Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland. Waste management is part of the circular economy. The circular economy is the basis for waste management today. This applies to municipal waste management, too. In this paper, we work with data available in the Eurostat database. We mainly deal with municipal waste in the three chosen countries. The output of this paper is an assessment of indicators such as recycling rates and waste production. The outputs are documented graphically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of New Economics & Social Sciences (IJONESS) is the property of Index Copernicus International and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Studia Iuridica Lublinensia is the property of Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article analyzes the possibility of using two types of waste from the thermal transformation of municipal waste in the production technology of cement mortars. Fly ash and dust were used in amounts of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30% of the cement mass as a replacement for sand. In total, 11 series of cement mortars were prepared: a standard control mortar and 10 series of mortars modified with individual waste. The following tests were performed for the prepared samples: bending and compressive strength after 7 and 28 days of maturing, water absorption and consistency testing for fresh mortars. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the use of waste dust and fly ash in the amount of 30% as a replacement for sand reduces the compressive strength by 24.0% and 8.0%, respectively, and the bending strength by 23.6% and 21.5%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treating waste as a resource can provide many social and economic benefits and develop policies accordingly. In this study, the relationship between municipal waste, income, human capital, material footprint, consumption and urban population is analyzed with panel data models within the framework of the Kuznets curve, using the data for the period of 1995 – 2018 for 22 OECD countries. Various economic, demographic and human variables that are thought to have an impact on municipal waste generation were added to the models created with cubic functional forms. The analysis results show that the relationship between municipal waste and income is inverted N-shaped. In line with expectations, the increase in human capital reduces the amount of waste per capita. The urbanization rate causes a higher increase in the amount of waste per capita compared to the population. Real consumption per capita and material footprint similarly have a positive effect on waste. The findings have calculated the first and second-order conditions for an inverted N-shaped relationship and verified that this relationship is mathematically valid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics are an emerging environmental concern that threatens the lives of humans and other organisms. Landfills are reservoirs for the production and accumulation of microplastics because the plastic waste disposed in them turns into microplastics over time under the influence of environmental and chemical conditions. This study is the first report on the abundance and characteristics of microplastics based on size, shape, color, and chemical composition in different old and active zones of the Hamadan landfill. The results clearly showed that the abundance of microplastics is significantly higher in leachate lagoon zone and old waste sites than active and virgin sites. Accordingly, the abundance of microplastics in the leachate lagoon zone, the old municipal and medical waste site, and the active municipal and medical waste site were found to be 76513, 39813, 26900, 16940, and 18766 items/kg dry soil, respectively. The abundance of microplastics in sizes 0.45 μm–25 μm and 25 μm to 5 mm was 59.32% and 40.68%, respectively. In addition, black microplastics were identified as the most abundant color (49%). In terms of shape classification, fiber microplastics were the most abundant (71%). Also, the most abundant chemical composition among microplastics belonged to LDPE (35%) and HDPE (33%) polymers. The findings of this study showed that the abundance and characteristics of microplastics in different landfill zones are quite diverse, which will have an important impact on proper waste management and prevention of environmental pollution.

Solid waste generation is a significant problem affecting the ecosystem, human health, and safety. However, the issue is not given the attention it truly deserves. Consequently, this study is aimed at assessing the impact of various factors, such as economic growth, public awareness, infrastructure, and technological advancements, on generating municipal waste in the European Union (EU) for the period 1995–2020. Furthermore, the study incorporated the mediating effect of economic growth and government effectiveness with public awareness, infrastructure, and technological development to reduce waste generation. By employing the bias-corrected method of moments, the study finds that overall waste generation does not decrease over time in EU economies. Furthermore, Denmark is the top-ranked country among the sampled countries to generate waste. However, Finland is at the top in government effectiveness. The empirical findings showed that economic growth is the significant reason for the increase in solid waste production. Additionally, the interaction effects of economic growth with public awareness, infrastructure, and technological development are positive. However, the individual impact of public awareness, infrastructure, and technological development is positive in reducing waste generation. Governance effectiveness is a significant tool to lower waste generation in European economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the relationship between various economic indicators, such as GDP per capita and socio-economic status, and municipal waste generation in Bulgaria compared to other EU countries. The study analyses how economic and social indicators in Bulgaria and other countries affect waste generation through multiple regression, hierarchical cluster, and comparative analyses. The objectives of the investigation include classifying countries according to the degree of relationship between GDP and municipal waste, comparing countries on these indicators, examining the profiles of different groups of countries according to their socio-economic status and the amount of waste generated, and analysing the relationship between GDP and municipal waste in different countries. Based on the results, sustainable waste management strategies are proposed, applicable not only in Bulgaria but also in other similar countries. This approach provides valuable guidance for formulating sustainable waste management policies and measures while highlighting the importance of economic and social factors in forming such strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Waste Forum is the property of Czech Environment Management Center (CEMC) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Theoretical background: As we work towards achieving sustainable development under Goal 12, which entails promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns, one of our key tasks is to minimize waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reusing. Local government units (LGUs) have a significant role to play in implementing this task. By investing in municipal waste management, LGUs can influence the behavior of residents toward responsible waste collection and management, including hazardous waste. Purpose of the article: This article aims to evaluate how local government spending affects municipal waste management in different voivodeships. The hypothesis of this paper is that local government expenditure improve waste management effects. To achieve effective spending that supports sustainable development, public authorities at the regional level must coordinate their activities and adapt to EU standards. Research methods: This article used literature and statistical analysis to adopt dynamics indicators and correlation coefficients. Data on selected variables for the study came from the Local Data Bank of the Central Statistical Office and Eurostat. Main findings: According to the analyses conducted, there has been a positive development in municipal waste management in Polish communes. This suggests that the government’s policies are contributing towards achieving the sustainable development goal of responsible and sustainable waste management, especially when it comes to hazardous waste. These findings could be utilized to recommend to public authorities the necessary changes to fiscal instruments that would promote sustainable public finances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open-cell spray polyurethane foams are widely used as highly efficient thermal insulation materials with vapor permeability and soundproofing properties. Unfortunately, for the production of commercial foams, mainly non-renewable petrochemical raw materials are used. The aim of this study was to determine the possibility of completely replacing petrochemical polyols (the main raw material used in the synthesis of polyurethanes, alongside isocyanates) with bio-polyols obtained from used cooking oils, classified as waste materials. The research consisted of three stages: the synthesis of bio-polyols, the development of polyurethane foam systems under laboratory conditions, and the testing of developed polyurethane spray systems under industrial conditions. The synthesis of the bio-polyols was carried out by using two different methods: a one-step transesterification process using triethanolamine and a two-step process of epoxidation and opening oxirane rings with diethylene glycol. The obtained bio-polyols were analyzed using gel chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The developed polyurethane foam formulations included two types of fire retardants: halogenated tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP) and halogen-free triethyl phosphate (TEP). In the formulations of polyurethane systems, reactive amine catalysts were employed, which become incorporated into the polymer matrix during foaming, significantly reducing their emission after application. The foams were manufactured on both a laboratory and industrial scale using high-pressure spray machines under conditions recommended by commercial system manufacturers: spray pressure 80–100 bar, component temperature 45–52 °C, and component volumetric ratio 1:1. The open-cell foams had apparent densities 14–21.5 kg/m3, thermal conductivity coefficients 35–38 mW/m∙K, closed-cell contents <5%, water vapor diffusion resistance factors (μ) <6, and limiting oxygen indexes 21.3–21.5%. The properties of the obtained foams were comparable to commercial materials. The developed polyurethane spray systems can be used as thermal insulation materials for insulating interior walls, attics, and ceilings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High quality in-situ compaction of municipal solid waste (MSW) is required to ensure landfill stability. However given the heterogeneous composition of MSW, it is important to assess the potential sensitivity of Dynamic cone penetrometers (DCP) and direct shear apparatus to changes in compaction effort, composition and aging effect and different specific work per blow of DCP on penetration resistance (DPI) and shear strength parameters of fresh and excavated Johannesburg landfill municipal solid waste. The results reveal that for average density range of 354kg/m3 to 722kg/m3 the mobilized penetration resistance, DPI was 15 - 40 mm/blow for DCP specific work per blow of 144 kJ/m2 and 10 - 33 mm/blow due to reduced work per blow of 92kJ/m2. The friction angle and cohesion of fresh waste and landfilled waste with fibrous content of 45% and 64% respectively are 19° and 12kPa for fresh waste and 21? and 31kPa for landfilled waste. 24 hours soaking of waste resulted in reduction in friction angle of fresh waste and cohesion of landfilled waste respectively. Controlling the ratio of sand, organics and fibrous content in recycling program is required to increase the stability of landfilled sites exposed to high tropical rainfall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, we are facing the ever-increasing phenomenon of bacteria being resistant to antibiotics. It is the consequence of excessive and incorrect use of drugs. The phenomenon is a global problem affecting bacteria both in their hospital population and in the natural environment. Municipal waste is an environment conducive to the development of microorganisms, therefore it contains various groups of bacteria, including drug-resistant staphylococci. The aim of the study was to identify species of bacteria, determine their antibiotic resistance, and assess the occurrence of genes responsible for methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from mixed municipal waste. Strains were isolated by Koch’s serial dilution method with the use of microbiological media. Species were identified using the MALDI TOF-MS technique, whereas the drug resistance profile was determined by disk diffusion and molecular PCR methods. 250 isolates of S. aureus were collected. The highest resistance found was to cefoxitin, erythromycin and tetracycline. Among the bacteria collected, resistance to 1, 2, 3 or 4 antibiotics at the same time was the most common, with a maximum of 10. Additionally, 45 (18%) MDR (multidrug-resistant) isolates were detected. Methicillin resistance was found by the disk diffusion test in 60 (24%) strains, while the mecA gene was detected in as many as 180 (72%) isolates.

Introduction: Landfill leachate is a highly toxic and hazardous form of wastewater due to its complex composition characteristics. Effective removal of heavy metals from landfill leachate is of great concern due to the fact that toxic metals can seriously threaten the food chain, and therefore the human health. The main objective of this work was to study the utilizing of low-cost pruning residues in the production of biochar and its application in removal of lead (Pb) from landfill leachate.Material and methods: Leachate produced in Babol municipal solid waste landfill was used as an adsorbent solution. Pruning residues were collected and used for biochar preparation. Biochar produced under the pyrolytic temperature of 700°C with a 1-hour retention time. The adsorption mechanism of pruning waste biochar to Pb was analyzed through BET surface area and scanning electron microscope (SEM) tests. Batch experiments were performed to study the effects of adsorption parameters on Pb removal. The influence of contact time (30-300 min), adsorbent dosage (1-50 g/L), as well as particle size (1-2 mm and 63-75 µm) was investigated. Moreover, the kinetic and isotherm models were applied to the experimental data to predict the adsorption parameters.Results and discussion: The results obtained from the analysis of the untreated Babol landfill leachate was revealed that the Pb concentration was about 4.94 mg L-1. The surface area of the produced biochar was determined to be 292.44 m2 g-1. SEM microstructure of the biochar showed the developed surface area with visible pores. All of these data seem to suggest a great potential for pruning residues biochar to Pb removal. The adsorption of Pb was mainly affected by contact time, adsorbent dose, and biochar particle size. Higher contact time and adsorbent dosage showed higher uptake of Pb. Whereas, the uptake of Pb ions onto pruning residues biochar was substantially reduced with increase the biochar particle size. Maximum Pb percentage removal was observed at a contact time of 90 min and with an optimum biochar dosage of 20 g L-1 (89.06% removal) for biochar with 1-2 mm particle size. While, biochar with particle size of 64-75 µm can removed Pb to almost 100% at a contact time of 120 min and with an optimum biochar dosage of 20 g L-1. The kinetic study showed that adsorption can be well described by the pseudo-second order kinetic model. This supports the chemisorption theory behind the pseudo-second order kinetic model for the adsorption system. The results of isotherm models implied that the behaviors of the isotherms are more appropriate for the Langmuir model, showing a monolayer adsorption capacity for Pb.Conclusion: Findings of this research demonstrated the applicabil‌ity of pruning residues biochar as an economic adsorbent for the removal of the Pb from landfill leachate. On the other hand, the crop residue burning poses a threat to the environment and human health due to the emission of toxic gasses and particulate matter. So, conversion of pruning residues to biochar and its application to heavy metal removal is a useful and environment-friendly alternative to crop residue and biomass burning.

Although European Union statistics show that municipal waste is a small part of the total waste generated, their analysis is important, due to the complexity of the sources of generation and treatment, but also of the consumption patterns specific to each individual member state. The present research will analyze the indicators regarding the generation and treatment of municipal waste in Romania over a period of 10 years, compared to the average of the European Union. Through this analysis, we will be able to observe a trend in Romania, but also what is the current stage of reaching the targets set at the level of the European Union related to the generation and treatment of municipal waste. The indicators taken into account are the amount of municipal waste generated expressed in kg/capita, the amount of municipal waste treated (total and by treatment operations) expressed in kg/capita and the recycling rate of municipal waste expressed in percentage. The main source for statistical data extraction was the statistical office of the European Union (Eurostat), in order to ensure a comparable and objective picture of the indicators.

The aim of our study was to estimate the amount of waste disposed through the public system of waste collection, as well as the amount collected during clean-up activities in public spaces in Poland. This study has been the first of its kind in Poland. We defined terminology for the public system of waste collection and public spaces. Our analyses were for the year 2021 and focused on diverse research areas. The administrative and landscape standard was used as a criterion for the selection of the units tested in field trials, by means of a questionnaire survey. 46 units were purposefully selected, and two series of surveys were carried out with respect to two research areas. During the qualitative assessment of our information sources to assess their suitability for the development of the methodology, it was necessary to apply methodological verifiers relating to mass, persons, area, and statistics. The verifiers took into account all variables influencing the quantities of waste considered in the study. The results obtained showed the lack of separate records in the municipal register for the waste assessed under the study. It was found that nearly 85% of the waste collected in the public systems of waste collection and litter in public spaces were registered as mixed (unsorted) municipal waste (Code 20 03 01) [Regulation... 2020]. It was noted that 20% of municipal waste generated outside households was left behind as litter in public spaces and posed environmental risks. For this reason, among others, it was necessary to estimate the amount of this type of waste.

The extensive research on waste management has primarily remained confined to metro cities and focused on economic and environmental issues. The present study explores waste management in smaller urban areas from an institutional standpoint, mapping formal and informal players onto a two‐dimensional framework: institutional type and institutional strength. The analysis is based on data accumulated through in‐depth interviews and focus group discussions in three towns of India. Despite the absence of formal acknowledgment, it establishes a continuum between formal and informal actors whose efforts to collect waste and provide public goods and services are mutually supportive. Although the informal sector is ranked lower, there is little variation in institutional strength between the formal and informal sectors. A formal‐informal hierarchy hinders informal waste collectors from moving up the value chain. The paper argues against separating the formal and informal actors in urban policy and planning. A waste management system that is formally integrated is required to extract greater economic value from waste and to strengthen the informal‐formal continuum. This should enhance both the wages and working conditions of waste workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The considerable increase in municipal waste has become a primary global concern due to the contamination of the environment through the emission of greenhouse gases. Therefore, many OECD countries have adopted municipal waste management practices. This study is a baseline attempt to explore the long-term effect of municipal waste management along with the energy transition, environmental innovation, and environmental policy stringency on GHG emissions in ten OECD countries from 1994 to 2020. This objective is realized by using non-parametric panel quantile regression. The estimated result reveals the asymmetric effect of selected explanatory variables on GHG emissions at various quantiles. The findings show that an increase in municipal waste can increase GHGs emissions at lower quantiles, while an insignificant effect is observed at higher quantiles. Similarly, energy transition, environmental innovation, and environmental policy stringency reveal asymmetric effects across the quantiles. The findings urge OECD countries to adopt more efficient municipal waste management practices and encourage renewable energy transition and environmental innovation. Environmental policy stringency can also be instrumental in enhancing environmental sustainability. • Role of municipal waste management on environmental sustainability is investigated. • Effect of Green energy transition, environmental innovation, and environmental policy is also modelled. • Non-parametric panel quantile regression is employed. • Optimal policy implications for environmental sustainability are devised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tragedy of the depletion of natural resources led by their overconsumption has posed severe deleterious effects on humanity and the environment. Post-consumption-led waste has worsened the situation, given that unregulated and unscientific waste treatment furthers the criticality of ecological dilapidation. To curb ecological overshoot and restore the full capacity of ecosystem services, we need to focus more on recycling the available resources at their maximum capacity. In other words, we must take a U-turn from the linear economic system to the circular one. The issue is that the number of real-world data-driven scientific studies is very scant in this sphere of literature. Against this milieu, this paper scrutinizes the effect of a circular economy on CO2 emissions intensity among a panel of the top seven CO2 emitters of the world. We have used data from 1990 to 2020 and applied the Augmented Mean Group (AMG) technique to reach our empirical conclusions. By controlling for globalization and renewable energy consumption, we unveil that municipal waste, a crucial component of the circular economy, is positively entangled with CO2 emissions among the designated nations. This observation further reiterates the theoretical underpinning and urges to harness municipal waste as a valuable raw material for a circular economy. Moreover, we disclose that economic growth and globalization boost CO2 emissions intensity among the designated nations. Contrarily, the consumption of renewables helps uplift environmental integrity. Our conclusions also hold after the robustness check. Further, the D-H causality test establishes a bidirectional causality between municipal waste and CO2 emissions. One-lane causality is also observed from a linear economy to a circular economy. More specifically, municipal waste is observed as a critical determinant of pollution and carbon emissions. In light of the findings, the authors provide novel policy recommendations apropos sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cracow Review of Economics & Management / Zeszyty Naukowe Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego w Krakowie is the property of Cracow University of Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the waste management sector had to face new challenges, e.g., changes in the size and composition of the waste stream, or the presence of potentially infectious waste. This article is based on a case study in Poland. The data analysis showed that the increase in municipal waste mass during the pandemic did not differ from statistics observed in previous years and ranged from 0.3 to 0.5 million tons per year. Lifestyle changes caused a decrease in the amount of waste generated outside households. Social migrations contributed to rapid changes in the mass of waste generated in selected agglomerations by up to 80 kg/capita. In the waste stream, significant amounts of specific groups of waste related to the pandemic ("corona waste") as well as packaging and food waste were noted. Despite the pandemic, in 2020, Poland recorded an increase in selective waste collection by 6.7 percentage points (pp.) Data on municipal waste management showed an increase in the mass of waste sent for recycling by 0.7 million tons, while the mass of landfilled waste decreased by 0.3 million tons. The observed positive changes in waste management allow the implementation of sustainable development assumptions to a greater extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Management & Quality / Zarządzanie i Jakość is the property of Scientific Society of Organization & Management / Towarzystwo Naukowe Organizacji i Kierownictwa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Public Security & Public Order / Visuomenes Saugumas ir Viesoji Tvarka is the property of Mykolas Romeris University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

If we talk about municipal waste in connection with circular economy, each European produces about 500 kg/year of waste. Less than half of it is 46% recycled, 27% is incinerated and 24% is landfilled. However, if we talk about the Slovak Republic, in 2019, 1 person produced an average of 421 kg/year of waste, and this indicator has a significantly rising character. In the context of the circular economy, an interesting indicator is precisely the rate of waste recycling, which is at the level of 38.5% in Slovakia. A similar analysis of municipal waste generation in selected EU countries was carried out in 2019, with the aim of identifying the potential for residual municipal waste generation, taking into account historical data, EU targets and existing residual waste treatment capacities. The results of this assessment for the Slovak Republic are discussed in article, which indicate a lack of processing capacity for non-recyclable waste.

Since municipal waste accounts for 7% - 10% of all waste generated in the European Union, this issue drums up major interest at the institutional level, given that increasing the levels of collected waste poses significant challenges to the environment and human health. The European Union adopted a legislative package which promotes the shift towards a more sustainable development model, known as the circular economy. The aim of this article is to analyze the dynamics of municipal waste management in Romania and Bulgaria in the European context, as there are deficiencies in these countries’ implementation of the European waste management legislation. Eurostat’s data for the 2000-2020 time horizon was used for the undertaken analysis. The results of the study show that both Romania and Bulgaria are facing similar challenges in terms of waste management due to the fact that some of the European directives have not been transposed into the national legislation.

Currently, the Stabilized Organic Fraction (SOF) 0–80 mm separated from the municipal waste stream is sent in its entirety to landfill in the mechanical-biological treatment plants operating in Poland. Such action does not align with the adopted EU strategy focused on waste management in the circular economy. This study aimed to assess the technical feasibility of the process of purification of mineral fractions with a grain size of 10–80 mm separated from SOF on a technological installation designed for glass recovery, built at the Marszów Plant. In terms of material, mineral fractions are a mixture of stones, rubble and glass, contaminated with various components, mainly organic. In 2020, the glass recovery installation was expanded with an innovative process of gravity separation to separate mineral fraction from SOF with the use of a jigging machine. A pulse jig used in the mining industry for coal enrichment processes was used for the first time in municipal waste management. The installation allows for the recovery of between 71.1 and 96.6% of mineral fractions contained in the input (84.8 ± 9.5% on average). The proportion of organics, plastics and other impurities in the waste is 4.1 ± 2.1% of the fraction mass. The process consumed water at an average rate of 0.34 ± 0.10 m3 tonnes−1 of treated waste and generated 0.26 ± 0.09 m3 tonnes−1 of wastewater. Electricity consumption averaged 1.20 kWh tonne−1 input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Economic development, population growth, and rapid urbanization are the reasons for an increasing generation of waste all over the world. Recently, the statistics showed that 2.1 million of tons municipal solid waste (MSW) was produced in 2016, which is estimated to enhance by 3.4 million tons in 2050. In recent times, municipal solid waste generation is dramatically increasing due to factors such as rapid urbanization, altered living standard, and increased population. These factors make the municipal solid waste management system complex and break the pollution-controlling strategies. So it necessitates the system to accurately predict the waste composition. Based on the waste classification, a suitable decomposition technique is preferred. Therefore, this paper proposed CMSOA optimized dual faster R-CNN based waste management system to accurately classify the waste composition. The proposed system is formed by hybridizing dual faster RCNN along with complex-valued encoding multi-chain seeker optimization algorithm (CMSOA). Various evaluation measures, namely accuracy, precision, recall, F-measure, RMSE, MAE, and MAPE metrics, are computed, and the case study analysis is conducted on the major five cities of Maharashtra. The comparative analysis is carried out for various approaches, and from the analysis, the results revealed that the proposed method provides better classification results than other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation of the environment has taken a prime position among areas of concern for managers and practitioners worldwide. This study aims to provide a bi-level mathematical model for municipal waste collection considering the sustainability approach. The mathematical model with conflicting objects was proposed at the upper level of the model of maximizing government revenue from waste recycling and at the lower level of minimizing waste collection and recycling costs, which had stochastic parameters and was scenario based. A case study was conducted in the Saveh processing site (Iran). Due to the complexity of the bi-level model, the KKT approach was adopted to unify the model. Finally, the relevant calculations were performed based on actual information. The results of the problem in the case study showed the efficiency of the proposed method. Several computational analyses randomly generated different waste recycling rates and obtained significant management results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growth of the global population, two major problems have emerged. Firstly, a significant amount of domestic and industrial waste is discarded and placed in landfills. Secondly, there is a necessity for more construction and building materials. This research discusses the use of alternative green resources for construction materials taken from recycled organic waste, which represents more than 60% of the total waste generated by humans. Results showed that, after incineration at 750 °C, the reminder represented less than 15% of the original mass of the waste. The waste was separated into five groups: bottom ash (BA) powder, this part represented 5% of the reminder after incineration (for replacing cement); sand; and fine, medium and coarse aggregates. The powder underwent a pozzolanic reaction and the optimum replacement was 10% for the powder, 30% for the sand, and 10% for the fine, medium, and coarse aggregates. A higher compressive strength was applied to the medium aggregate replacement and a lower one for the fine aggregate. In general, BA can be used as an aggregate replacement as the powder undergoes a pozzolanic reaction and can used as a replacement for cement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With reference to the existing literature, this paper investigates the heterogenous effect on the attainment of circular economy by government policies in the form of government stringency and government financial support, environmentally related innovations, and human capital. The study was carried out in 26 countries of the OECD from 2010–2019 using the Poisson pseudo-maximum likelihood (PPML) model and data from Eurostat and OECD datasets. Indicators for the independent variables were non-market-based stringency, market-based subsidy, gross domestic expenditure on R&D by source of funds, R&D expenditure intramural, national expenditure on environmental protection environmental protection, environmentally related patents with co-inventors, and employees involved in education and training. The results revealed that a significant effect of government stringency in the form of non-market-based stringency, environmental innovation, government financing on R&D, and national expenditure on environmental protection have significant impact on the attainment of circular economy within OECD countries. Surprisingly, there was no significant effect of the market-based subsidy on domestic material consumption (dmc). We conclude that a blend of government policies is the effective means of achieving a circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the human health hazards and ecological risks of heavy metals from waste sites in residential vicinity. The heavy metals analyzed were Cr, Pb, Cd, Ni, Cu, and Zn. A total of 40 soil samples were collected from waste sites in two residential estates located in the urban and suburb areas of Umuahia, Abia state. Results revealed a trend in concentrations of the heavy metals for both sites in the following order: Cu > Ni > Zn > Cr > Cd > Pb. The concentrations of heavy metals were higher in rural soils than in urban soil. The contamination factor (CF) indices for Pb, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn were less than 1 for both sites, signifying a low contamination scenario. The contamination factor for Cd (6 > CF) for both sites indicated a very high contamination status. The estimated degree of contamination (Cdeg) was less than the lower threshold of 8.0, denoting a low degree of contamination. Cd was the highest contributor to ecological risk with Er index value of 184.2 among measured heavy metals. The overall potential ecological risk index for urban and rural sites are 187.1 and 196.1 respectively, classifying the sites as moderate risk. The overall non-carcinogenic hazard index values (HI) for adults and children in urban and rural soils are 0.00248, 0.0198 and 0.0028, 0.0223 respectively, which are below the acceptable limit (HI < 1), indicating that the exposed residents are unlikely to experience any apparent adverse health hazards. However, children are more susceptible to non-carcinogenic hazards than adults in the study areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]