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Purpose: This paper aims at developing a multi-objective mathematical model of circular economy that integrates key concept of leasing as a strategy in addition to reuse, refurbishing, primary recycling, secondary recycling and disposal. Design/methodology/approach: This paper proposes multi-objective fuzzy mixed integer linear programming mathematical model considering multi-product, multi-echelon and multi-capacitated concepts of the circular economy. The three objectives of the proposed model, namely, economic, environmental and social are solved simultaneously using constraint approach to obtain balanced trade-off between the objective functions. The model is validated by solving a case study from the literature. The proposed model is made pragmatic for industrial application by considering multi-external suppliers multi-customer zones, multi-disassembly centers, multi-collection centers and multi-refurbishing centers and accounting for purchasing, processing, transportation, set-up costs and capacity constraints at the same time. Findings: The results show that the leasing of the products improves the economic function in addition to the known environmental improvements. The proposed model also shows that the circular economy can generate the jobs for the unskilled people at different locations. Research limitations/implications: The proposed model can be further improved by considering the non-linearity due to economy of scale at various centers and in transportation. The model can be further extended to make it multi-period model. Practical implications: The proposed model of circular economy can be used by the organizations as a policy tool to decide the optimum number of collection centers, disassembly centers, refurbishing centers, recycling centers and disposal centers and their optimum locations and allocations. The organizations can also trade-off among economic, environmental and social benefits of their proposed decisions in circular economy. Originality/value: The originality of the proposed mathematical model is consideration of leasing as a strategy to have better control over the supply chain for circularity; considering the training of unskilled people for backward supply chain jobs and accounting for primary recycling and secondary recycling separately for economical computation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the critical issue of managing construction and demolition waste in urban environments. Effective waste management is not only essential for minimizing costs but also for enhancing sustainability and reducing environmental impact. In this context, the research introduces a green reverse logistics model designed for C&D waste management, integrating both sustainability considerations and current regulatory frameworks, such as LEED. A key innovation of this model is the incorporation of electric vehicles for waste collection, compared to traditional diesel vehicles, as part of the logistical process, as carbon emission is a significant concern. By evaluating the limitations and opportunities associated with electric vehicles, alongside robust optimization to manage uncertainties in waste collection, the model seeks to balance environmental, social, and economic objectives. It further incorporates decision-making tools like fuzzy logic to optimize multi-objective outcomes across various waste facilities, including separation labs, incineration centers, recycling centers, and landfills. A case study conducted in Tehran validates the model, highlighting the socio-economic and environmental benefits of using electric vehicles in waste collection. Sensitivity analysis indicates that hybrid and socially focused policies perform best under high-impact scenarios, although results can differ with varying data sets. Despite the complexity of managing reverse logistics networks, this research provides valuable insights for supply chain planners. It suggests potential future directions, such as the application of metaheuristic algorithms and improved stochastic planning methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lysosomes are important cellular structures for human health as centers for recycling, signaling, metabolism and stress adaptation. However, the potential role of lysosomes in stress‐related emotions has long been overlooked. Here, it is found that lysosomal morphology in astrocytes is altered in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of susceptible mice after chronic social defeat stress. A screen of lysosome‐related genes revealed that the expression of the mucolipin 1 gene (Mcoln1; protein: mucolipin TRP channel 1) is decreased in susceptible mice and depressed patients. Astrocyte‐specific knockout of mucolipin TRP channel 1 (TRPML1) induced depressive‐like behaviors by inhibiting lysosomal exocytosis‐mediated adenosine 5′‐triphosphate (ATP) release. Furthermore, this stress response of astrocytic lysosomes is mediated by the transcription factor EB (TFEB), and overexpression of TRPML1 rescued depressive‐like behaviors induced by astrocyte‐specific knockout of TFEB. Collectively, these findings reveal a lysosomal stress‐sensing signaling pathway contributing to the development of depression and identify the lysosome as a potential target organelle for antidepressants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling is a crucial waste management option because of the increasing amount of waste generated and the limited space in landfills. However, traditional recycling processes, which require individuals to deliver large quantities of waste to recycling centers, can discourage participation. To address this issue, this study expanded upon the technology acceptance model (TAM) by incorporating perceived risk and social influence to examine residents' intentions to adopt recycling vending machines. This study used partial least squares structural equation modeling based on the data collected from 525 individuals in Jiangsu Province, China. This study's findings indicate that TAM components, such as attitudes, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use, positively influence residents' intentions and behaviors to adopt recycling vending machines. Additionally, perceived usefulness and ease of use significantly affected attitudes toward recycling vending machines. This study also found that social influence had a significant positive impact on perceived usefulness and ease of use, while perceived risk negatively influenced these factors. Furthermore, attitude played a crucial mediating role, with additional factors impacting intentions and behaviors through attitude. Overall, this research can help stakeholders such as waste management companies to understand residents' concerns and improve the implementation of recycling vending machines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, lysosomes were primarily referred to as the digestive organelles and recycling centers within cells. Recent discoveries have expanded the lysosomal functional scope and revealed their critical roles in nutrient sensing, epigenetic regulation, plasma membrane repair, lipid transport, ion homeostasis, and cellular stress response. Lysosomal dysfunction is also found to be associated with aging and several diseases. Therefore, function of macroautophagy, a lysosome‐dependent intracellular degradation system, has been identified as one of the updated twelve hallmarks of aging. In this review, we begin by introducing the concept of lysosomal quality control (LQC), which is a cellular machinery that maintains the number, morphology, and function of lysosomes through different processes such as lysosomal biogenesis, reformation, fission, fusion, turnover, lysophagy, exocytosis, and membrane permeabilization and repair. Next, we summarize the results from studies reporting the association between LQC dysregulation and aging/various disorders. Subsequently, we explore the emerging therapeutic strategies that target distinct aspects of LQC for treating diseases and combatting aging. Lastly, we underscore the existing knowledge gap and propose potential avenues for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Global Journal of Environmental Science & Management (GJESM) is the property of Global Journal of Environmental Science & Management 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.)

In recent years, the rapid advancement of technology has led to a significant increase in the global use of electrical and electronic devices. This has resulted in a surge in the generation of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), a critical component of the complex solid waste management process. Since consumers play a major role in generating WEEE, understanding their perspectives on WEEE disposal is essential for developing effective management strategies. This study employs a combined approach utilizing quantitative methods, such as the analysis of 2,905,579 Twitter tweets collected from May 2019 to April 2022, and the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) technique, to identify appropriate end-of-life (EOL) options for WEEE. While there have been numerous studies on factors influencing consumer participation in WEEE disposal programs, no prior research has focused on identifying suitable EOL options for WEEE. A review of the literature revealed that factors such as ease of access to recycling centers, awareness, distrust in governments, financial incentives, charitable contributions, and concerns about data disclosure influence consumers' decisions to participate in WEEE disposal programs. Additionally, four EOL options, namely re-use, remanufacturing, recycling, and disposal, were suggested for these products. Subsequently, the FAHP technique was used to examine the relationships between these options, and a suitable EOL option was recommended for each factor. The findings of this research can serve as a valuable tool in the WEEE management process, aiding in the development of effective strategies for WEEE disposal and contributing to a more sustainable approach to handling electronic waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Typically, within facility location problems, fairness is defined in terms of accessibility of users. However, for facilities perceived as undesirable by communities hosting them, fairness between the usage of facilities becomes especially important. Limited research exists on this notion of fairness. To close this gap, we develop a series of optimization models for the allocation of populations of users to facilities such that access for users is balanced with a fair utilization of facilities. The optimality conditions of the underlying nonconvex quadratic models state the precise balance between accessibility and fairness. We define new classes of fairness and a metric to quantify the extent to which fairness is achieved in both optimal and suboptimal allocations. We show that a continuous relaxation of our central model is sufficient to achieve a perfect extent of fairness, while a special case reduces to the classical notion of proportional fairness. Our work is motivated by pervasive ecological challenges faced by the waste management community as policymakers seek to reduce the number of recycling centers in the last few years. As a computational case study, applying our models on data for the state of Bavaria in Germany, we find that even after the closure of a moderate number of recycling centers, large degrees of access can be ensured, provided that the closures are conducted optimally. Fairness, however, is impacted more, with facilities in rural regions shouldering larger loads of visiting populations than those in urban regions. History: Accepted by Pascal Van Hentenryck, Area Editor for Computational Modeling: Methods & Analysis. Funding: Computer resources and support provided by the Erlangen Regional Computing Center are gratefully acknowledged. B. Singh was partially financially supported by the Bavarian State Ministry for Science and Art (Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst) under the Competence Network for Scientific High Performance Computing in Bavaria. Supplemental Material: The software that supports the findings of this study is available within the paper and its Supplemental Information (https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/suppl/10.1287/ijoc.2022.0308) as well as from the IJOC GitHub software repository (https://github.com/INFORMSJoC/2022.0308). The complete IJOC Software and Data Repository is available at https://informsjoc.github.io/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling centers sort and process collected waste in the interest of the environment, but also lead to damaging climate effects via released emissions and pollutants in their operation. Consequently, governments are closing such centers to fulfill climate and carbon neutrality goals. However, such closures risk populations being forced to travel further to facilities that collect waste, and can cause an unfair burden on the remaining open centers, thereby reducing participation in recycling. Using a facility location optimization model and mobility survey data within the state of Bavaria in Germany, we show how selective closures of these centers can still lead to high levels of recycling access. Our analysis ensures that even when 20% of facilities are closed smartly, the median travel distance by residents to their assigned recycling center increases by only 450 m. Additionally, we find Bavaria suffers from disparity in recycling patterns in rural and urban regions, both in terms of motivation to recycle and the locations of the facilities. We promote a policy that favors retention of recycling centers in rural regions by reserving 75% of open facilities to be in rural areas, while selectively closing facilities in urban regions, to remove these regional differences. Success of recycling campaigns depends on public perception of closures of such facilities and also on their ease of access. As policymakers gradually implement further closures, such data‐driven strategies can assist in being more transparent to the public thereby increasing the willingness to participate in such recycling programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction to a previously published article on developing mathematical models and intelligent sustainable supply chains. The authors have made a small mistake in Figure 1 and have added artificial intelligence codes to the Appendix section. The article discusses the use of neural networks in predicting shipping costs for plastic car accessories. It describes the process of training the neural network and evaluating its performance, as well as different functions and methods used in the analysis. The document concludes that the changes made do not affect the main conclusion of the article and there are no conflicts of interest. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the ethical guidelines for tutors in writing centers regarding plagiarism, particularly focusing on text recycling and self-plagiarism. It highlights the complexities of addressing plagiarism, especially when it stems from students' incomplete understanding of academic discourse. The authors argue for a nuanced view on text recycling, emphasizing transparency and ethical decision-making. The research project on text recycling provides insights into the practice in academic research settings, offering practical strategies for tutors to help students navigate ethical decisions about reusing their own texts in papers. [Extracted from the article]

With rapid urbanization growth, considerable amounts of construction waste are generated on an annual basis, posing significant economic and environmental challenges worldwide. Re-cycling construction waste is a sustainable way for waste disposal, leading to the necessity of meticulous planning of recycling centers. A well-designed plan for constructing recycling centers can effectively improve the recycling rate of construction waste while minimizing investment. This paper formulates a two-stage stochastic model for planning recycling centers with the objective of maximizing the recycling rate under different scenarios. This study comprehensively considers various uncertain factors, such as the amount of construction waste generated and the demand for recycled materials. A case study of Guangzhou is used for validation, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the developed model in planning recycling center construction. The comparison between the proposed model and a conventional mean value model shows the importance of accounting for uncertainties. Specifically, the derived results indicate that 7% more construction waste is recycled with the same investment in constructing recycling centers. Additionally, via a sensitivity analysis, valuable managerial insights on investing resources in recycling center construction are provided to decision makers. Ultimately, the research findings are expected to enhance the recycling rate of construction waste, thereby contributing to sustainable industry development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subduction zones serve as carbon recycling centers, where vast amassments of geologic carbon accrete or subduct through thermogenic gas windows over millions of years. We focus on New Zealand's Chatham Rise, a fossilized accretionary wedge remnant of the ∼400 Myr‐active East Gondwanan margin. We undertake an amplitude‐variation‐with‐offset (AVO)‐based seismic analysis of the abiogenic Mesozoic sedimentary sequence (MES) and overlying Sequence Y chalk interval, which span the Chatham Rise's northwestern slope. Two‐term AVO attribute analysis resulted in the interpretation of distinct AVO Class III–IV reflection anomalies, which demarcate the siliciclastic MES from overlying Sequence Y chalks. Unified through their strong negative intercept amplitudes, Class III anomalies increase in absolute amplitude with angle, while Class IV anomalies decrease in absolute amplitude with angle of incidence. Simultaneous AVO inversion of seismic data highlighted the presence of P‐impedance anomalies, which directly underlie the regionally occurring Sequence Y chalk interval. Class III anomalies are modeled and interpreted as the result of a previously undefined coarse‐grained lithofacies, bearing low saturations (2%–10%) of free gas. Co‐occurring ClassIV AVO anomalies are modeled to provide evidence for a fine‐grained upper MES, bearing similarly low saturations of free‐gas in pore space. We speculate on the gas' origin, which could be from the Hikurangi subduction margin, in situ ancient microbial activity, or a new undetermined source related to the ancient East Gondwanan subduction margin and accretionary wedge. Plain Language Summary: Active subduction zones (aka subduction margins) are globally occurring zones of geologic interest, defined by the subduction of one tectonic plate under another. Subduction margins host vast amassments of geologically bound carbon, which eventually subducts or accretes to the overriding plate. Carbon amassment and subsequent gaseous carbon‐escape (e.g., methane escape) from subduction zones into the Earth's exosphere necessitate an understanding of the dominant sources of gas generation within a subduction zone. Here, we present a seismic reflection‐based study of the northwestern Chatham Rise, which is a fossil remnant of the ancient East Gondwanan subduction zone. We provide seismic evidence for a previously undetected deep accumulation of carbon‐bearing free gas over a large area ∼50 km east of the active Hikurangi subduction margin. This gas appears trapped beneath a known sealing sediment layer consisting of chalk and mudstone, which is being subducted further to the west. We speculate on the locus of these gases and how they may be related to ancient East Gondwanan subduction or active Hikurangi subduction processes. Key Points: Amplitude versus offset analysis highlights a deep free‐gas accumulation on the northwestern Chatham Rise, east of the Hikurangi marginFree‐gas accumulation occurs within host strata, which are modeled to be spatially variable in lithologyFree‐gas is speculated to have multiple potential sources, from ancient microbial activity to beneath the ancient Gondwanan accretionary wedge [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To encourage proper waste management for electrical and electronic devices (e-waste), it is necessary to invest heavily in the development of recycling technologies. One way to improve the process is to automate separating the shredded parts of e-waste using a robot. This paper's literature review, utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, showcases potential robotic technologies for e-waste separation. However, the intricate design of these devices can pose significant challenges in their implementation. Various legal, organizational, and sociological obstacles have left Serbia's e-waste management practice underdeveloped, resulting in an unsatisfactory recycling rate. In this paper, we examined the possibility of using robots in the precise example of recycling refrigerators in a recycling center in Eastern Serbia, concluding that such a solution would have multiple positive effects, both on the employees and the working environment, on the operations of the recycling center itself, and on increasing the e-waste recycling rate in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) has become the fastest-growing waste stream, and consumer WEEE recycling is detrimental to the success of circular economy principles. However, consumer awareness of and willingness to cooperate in WEEE recycling is a core pillar of success as end users determine the ultimate fate of waste. This study presents the results of a survey distributed via social media in Portugal (n = 509) to determine consumer knowledge of and compliance or noncompliance with circular economy goals for WEEE as well as actionable insights for policy decision-makers and managers. Results show that the overall knowledge of WEEE posing health and environmental hazards is very high and that higher storage rates at home exist in younger demographics, students, and higher-income brackets. Our research highlights that not only are proximity to a recycling center and awareness of the location influencing factors required for recycling but also that recycling activities are mostly based on intrinsic motivation to protect the environment, with financial incentives only attracting a relatively small share of the study participants. While most studies on WEEE focus on developing countries, this study offers a distinct perspective by covering a mature EU economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article summarizes a case study on improving recycling behavior among college students. The study was conducted at the State University of New York at Fredonia and used Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodology. The study found that adding and relocating recycling bins, creating engaging signage, and establishing a recycling competition among dormitories were effective solutions. The study also identified barriers to recycling on college campuses, such as lack of motivation and recycling knowledge, recycle bin contamination, and bin location and accessibility. The article acknowledges the limitations of the study and highlights the value of experiential learning for college undergraduates. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the implemented improvements have led to an increase in recycling, and formal measurement is scheduled to begin in the future. [Extracted from the article]

This research study aims to investigate the moderating effect of the perceived privacy risk and the mediating role of perceived convenience on the relationship between perceived awareness and e-waste disposal behavior among smartphone users. Using the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the authors have proposed that perceived awareness, convenience, and privacy risk would impact e-waste disposal behavior. An online questionnaire has been sent to Pakistani millennials using a convenience sampling method. The collected data have been analyzed with the SmartPLS 4 software using partial least squares–structural equations modeling (PLS–SEM) and a moderating effect of perceived privacy risk and a mediating effect of perceived convenience in the relationship between perceived awareness and electronic waste disposal behavior among smartphone users has been found. This study has several practical applications for nonacademics or practitioners, such as the findings could be used to prepare effective e-waste management strategies that encourage responsible disposal behavior among smartphone users in Pakistan. In addition, the results from this study could be used to raise awareness of the environmental importance of e-waste and promote information on safe disposal options that could change consumer behaviors. Smartphone companies could use this study's insights to develop more user-friendly recycling initiatives and highlight their benefits. In addition, this study's findings could be used to advise smartphone and app developers to resolve privacy concerns that are connected to data deletion during disposal. Organizations could win trust and encourage users to recycle their old devices correctly. Government officials might find this study's findings helpful when developing data privacy and e-waste management rules and regulations. The findings could be used by nongovernmental organizations to create regional e-waste collection and recycling centers. In addition, e-waste management could be incorporated into sustainability projects by companies that operate in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The competitive environment in the global market makes most countries look for better ways to solve their problems. Food waste is the largest concern facing the food security of the world. Not paying attention to process of pomegranate wastes, such as separating the peel from the other parts and ignoring the cost of using artificial intelligence for pest control in gardens and the cost of maintaining the processed products are the gaps of previous researches. To cope with this challenge, recent studies have presented sustainable closed-loop supply chains (SCLSCs) as a strategic approach and a competitive advantage. The present study distinguishes itself from other studies by using the artificial intelligence technology in a supply chain along with the reverse logistics section, i.e., waste recycling. This paper proposes a design for a CLSC pomegranates. The corresponding logistics network is designed for several periods and covers manufacturers, distribution centers, customers, factories, recycling centers (compost centers), and compost end user (compost markets). Using reverse logistics, the wasted pomegranates are also converted into recycled products including ethanol, as an automotive fuel and a renewable energy, and a type of compost processed as an organic fertilizer. The goal of proposed model is to minimize the costs of supply chains, reduce the supply risks involved, and increase the profits for gardeners and investors in the public and non-profit agriculture sectors in Iran. The first pareto solution is 1,869,908.962, 2172.638 and 65.926, and the CPU time is 412 Ms. The results show a rise in the maximum supply risk occurs in the total cost and risk but a reduction in the accountability of the network and also an increase in the disruption period findings in increased total cost and risk of the network, while it first increases and then decreases the accountability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the domestic waste reverse logistics network in Hefei as the research object, considering the multi frequency recycling and vehicle sharing scheduling strategy, a reverse logistics network optimization scheme based on the operation cost of the reverse logistics network is proposed. Firstly, a reverse logistics recycling operation cost model is constructed, which includes the construction cost of reverse logistics infrastructure, equipment maintenance cost, the sum of the transportation cost of municipal solid waste and the treatment cost of non-recyclable waste at all levels, and a product maximization revenue model of the recycling center is established. Secondly, according to the characteristics of the model, a k-means spatio-temporal clustering algorithm considering the geographical location of waste transfer stations, recycling frequency and recycling time window is designed, and then an improved GA-PSO hybrid algorithm is proposed. The effectiveness of the model and algorithm is verified by comparing with HGA, GA-TS and HACO algorithms. Finally, according to the actual data of Hefei domestic waste reverse logistics network, the optimization research was carried out, and the recycling frequency and vehicle scheduling of transfer stations in different locations were analyzed. The results show that the model and algorithm proposed in this paper can carry out the optimal selection of recycling cost, resource sharing of recycling vehicles and reasonable vehicle routing optimization scheduling, and the operation cost of reverse logistics network is reduced by 8% compared with the previous one; As the transportation distance is reduced, the transportation cost is greatly reduced, and the treatment efficiency of municipal solid waste is improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to environmental and economic incentives, reverse supply chains have developed. In a reverse supply chain, due to the uncertainty of recycling, the probability of out‐of‐stock is high for recycled parts. In inventory management, transshipment and substitution are often used to avoid various consequences caused by stock shortages. This paper deals with a single‐echelon inventory system with two recycling centers and one supplier. Given demand characteristics, replenishment methods, and sharing rules, four inventory models: general strategy, lateral transshipment between the two recycling centers, substitution between recycling centers, and the supplier and the multi‐strategy are constructed. In the numerical example, Mathematica 11.3 is used to solve the models. Results show that lateral transshipment does not necessarily reduce the cost of recycling centers, while the substitution strategy and the multistrategy are better than the other two, among which the multistrategy is usually better than the substitution, unless the recycling center faces low replenishment rates with high demand rates. These conclusions can provide some management implications for recycling companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With rapid urbanization growth, considerable amounts of construction waste are generated on an annual basis, posing significant economic and environmental challenges worldwide. Re-cycling construction waste is a sustainable way for waste disposal, leading to the necessity of meticulous planning of recycling centers. A well-designed plan for constructing recycling centers can effectively improve the recycling rate of construction waste while minimizing investment. This paper formulates a two-stage stochastic model for planning recycling centers with the objective of maximizing the recycling rate under different scenarios. This study comprehensively considers various uncertain factors, such as the amount of construction waste generated and the demand for recycled materials. A case study of Guangzhou is used for validation, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the developed model in planning recycling center construction. The comparison between the proposed model and a conventional mean value model shows the importance of accounting for uncertainties. Specifically, the derived results indicate that 7% more construction waste is recycled with the same investment in constructing recycling centers. Additionally, via a sensitivity analysis, valuable managerial insights on investing resources in recycling center construction are provided to decision makers. Ultimately, the research findings are expected to enhance the recycling rate of construction waste, thereby contributing to sustainable industry development.

[Display omitted] • Wood waste collected at mechanical treatment plant in various periods of the year. • Organosolv treatment to produce a cellulose pulp for manufacturing containerboard. • Results show good reproducibility of the organosolv process applied to wood waste. • Obtained a pulp with an average cellulose content of about 76%. Wood waste is a valuable material that could constitute an abundant and inexpensive source for the production of new materials the recovery of energy. In Europe, about 46% of wood waste is recycled to particleboard and fiberboard, while the other fraction is incinerated. However, a considerable quantity of wood waste shows potential for its transformation into value-added products due to its compositional quality. In this work, wood waste collected at a mechanical treatment plant underwent organosolv treatment to produce a cellulose pulp suitable for manufacturing containerboard. Three variables (temperature, acid concentration, and ethanol concentration) were investigated to find an optimal solution to produce wood pulp by means of Design of Experiment. Wood waste was microwave-heated at 160 °C for 15 min using an acidified ethanol–water solution (2% w/w H 2 SO 4 and 0.8 w/w ethanol concentration), producing pulp with an average cellulose content of 76% where 93% of initial cellulose was retained. Thanks to a one-pot approach, ethanol was totally recovered, 62% of initial lignin was precipitated, and 20 g/l of hemicellulose-derived sugars solution was obtained. Finally, three wood waste samples collected in different periods of the year yielded comparable outcomes, suggesting a good reproducibility of the organosolv process. ANOVA test with a significance level of 0.01 showed a p-value of 0.029 and 0.235 for cellulose content and cellulose recovery, respectively. This study paves the way for an industrial symbiosis between recycling centers and paper mills located in the same territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine the optimal strategy and driving factors of the critical nodes of pesticide packaging waste recycling by constructing the recycling process of "village collection–town transport–county management." Counties, towns, and villages are the central nodes of collection, coordination, and communication in the recycling process. Their strategy selection and influencing factor analysis are related to the development of recycling. The county processing center, township transit center, and village recycling center were selected to construct a game model, and strategy and parameter assumptions were made to obtain the optimal strategy combination. The results showed that strict supervision, professional transportation and strict implementation are the best strategies for counties, towns and villages, respectively. Simulation analysis confirmed that factors such as cost, reward restricted the strategy selection of each subject. The higher the supervision, transport, and input costs, the lower the enthusiasm of counties, towns, and villages to participate in recycling, respectively. Reasonable control of reward could help each participant choose a stable strategy. The study provided the idea of a pilot before promotion for the government and emphasized the importance of controlling incentive policies and relative costs to improve the recycling process of pesticide packaging waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The massive production and accumulation of industrial solid waste (ISW) have led to environmental pollution and natural resource underutilization. China's efforts to build trial industrial waste resource utilization centers provide strong support for sustainable development. However, these centers and the factors driving ISW utilization have yet to be evaluated. This paper utilizes context-dependent data envelopment analysis models without explicit inputs (DEA-WEI) to evaluate the overall utilization performance of 48 industrial waste resource utilization centers in China from 2018 to 2020. It also builds a Tobit model to assess which indicators and waste types affect overall ISW utilization. The results show overall ISW utilization performance of centers in the sample has improved, with the average value falling from 1.7193 in 2018 to 1.5624 in 2020. However, there are clear regional performance gaps, with East China having the highest utilization performance (1.3113) while the Southwest had the lowest (2.2958). Finally, this paper proposes measures to improve the overall utilization of industrial waste resources based on an analysis of the factors driving solid waste utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lysosomes are responsible for protein degradation and clearance in cellular recycling centers. It has been known that the lysosomal chloride level is enriched and involved in the intrinsic lysosomal function. However, the mechanism by which chloride levels can be sensed and that of the chloride-mediated lysosomal function is unknown. In this study, we verified that reduced chloride levels acutely induced lysosomal calcium release through TRPML1 and lysosomal repositioning toward the juxtanuclear region. Functionally, low chloride-induced lysosomal calcium release attenuated cellular migration. In addition, spontaneous exposure to low chloride levels dysregulated lysosomal biogenesis and subsequently induced delayed migration and promoted apoptosis. Two chloride-sensing GXXXP motifs in the TRPML1 were identified. Mutations in the GXXXP motif of TRPML1 did not affect chloride levels, and there were no changes in migratory ability. In this study, we demonstrated that the depletion of chloride induces reformation of the lysosomal calcium pool and subsequently dysregulated cancer progression, which will assist in improving therapeutic strategies for lysosomal accumulation-associated diseases or cancer cell apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic waste, commonly known as e-waste, has emerged as a significant global waste stream, prompting extensive scholarly investigation into its trends. This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis to examine journals, authors, countries, and keywords, as well as to probe prevailing themes and future trajectories in e-waste research. The authors utilized the Scopus database for data retrieval and employed VOSviewer software for analysis. The findings reveal a notable surge in publications pertaining to e-waste studies within the domain of business, management, and accounting, particularly in the top 10 ABDC journals of A*/A quality. China emerges as the leading country in this research area, with the Journal of Cleaner Production being the most prolific publisher. The International Journal of Production Economics garners the highest citation score, and Elsevier stands out as the top publishing house. Notably, Li Jinhui and Xu Zhengming from China have authored most articles. The primary focus of e-waste studies centers around recycling. Additionally, the authors conduct cluster analysis to propose potential themes for future research directions. Future researches can be conducted on impact of e-waste on climate change and awareness among people about e-waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a procedure to automatically identify the product model by evaluating an image of the label is presented. First, object character recognition (OCR) extracts text from the product label. Second, to identify the product model, the extracted text is compared with unique model references in a database, giving access to other model‐specific information. For this comparison, a novel variation of the partial ratio matching algorithm was developed. The product‐model identification procedure is integrated into an interactive web application, which allows for model identification to be performed during preparation for reuse, repair, and recycling: The SmartRe application. Three datasets consisting of 466, 422, and 771 images of washing machine product labels were gathered in collaboration with a (1) professional repair company for consumer devices, (2) a nonprofit repair and reuse center that resells devices in second‐hand stores, and (3) a large recycling company. Results demonstrate that 96%, 91%, and 40% of the product models were correctly read from the product label with OCR, respectively. Of these recognized models, 51%, 88%, and 76% were successfully identified with the SmartRe application by comparing the extracted text with the model database. Further analysis also demonstrated that 72% of the washing machine models identified at the nonprofit repair and reuse center were also found at the recycling facility and that 12% of these models are predicted to be less than 10‐years‐old. This highlights the potential of the SmartRe application to assist in product triage for reuse at recycling centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-sustainable e-waste recycling and dumping activities release trace metals into the ambient environment where they may threaten the biological communities and human health. A total of 45 groundwater and 21 leachate samples were collected from seven recycling, seven dumping, and one reference site in Lahore, Pakistan, and analyzed for Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Mn, and Fe in atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Comparing the results with the World Health Organization (WHO) standards of drinking water, only the concentrations of Cu, Zn, Mn, and Fe at all sites were found to be within the permissible limits, i.e., 2, 3, 0.5, and 1 mg/L, respectively. In leachates, only Cd and Mn at one site (0.204 and 8.636 mg/L, respectively) exceeded the allowable limits of National Environmental Quality Standards of Municipal and Liquid industrial effluents. Geo-accumulation index, contamination factor, contamination degree, and pollution load index values showed no to moderate contamination. The ecological risk index did not exceed 150, depicting low risk to nearby biological communities. The non-carcinogenic health risk assessment showed a hazard index value greater than 1 at all sites for children (2.04) and adults (1.52), with Pb being the major contributor to adverse health impacts via ingestion and dermal route. Children (1.21 × 10–4) were at a more significant threat of carcinogenic risk from Pb and Cd as compared to adults (8.10 × 10–5). Therefore, there is a dire need to introduce sustainable e-waste recycling and managing techniques to reduce further groundwater contamination via the percolation of trace metals and to reduce the current contamination level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Editor's Note in WLN: A Journal of Writing Center Scholarship introduces new co-editors, Andrea Efthymiou and Candis Bond, who bring valuable experience to the team. The first issue of volume 49 features articles on topics such as text recycling, doctoral capstone progress, and supporting diverse writers. The note also invites readers to consider guest editing a special issue on a specific topic of interest. Andrea and Candis are committed to mentoring authors who submit articles and Tutors' Columns to the journal. [Extracted from the article]

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region has witnessed significant growth in the global electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) market, especially in the industrial field due to the high demand from oil and gas and other related sectors. However, the lifespan of these end-of-life (EoL) products has become shorter, leading to electronic failure and generating electronic waste (e-waste). Disposing of such waste in recycling centers and landfills poses a challenge for policymakers and waste management officials due to its environmental impact. However, it is imperative to implement new management practices to overcome e-waste from landfills; thus, we propose the remanufacturing process as a viable and economic strategy for e-waste management. The process of industrial remanufacturing has the potential to decrease e-waste and promote the reuse of obsolete EEE and industrial devices., including those used in the Oil and Gas sector. This paper advocates for industrial remanufacturing as a solution to e-waste, aiming to increase the reusability of EoL EEE products. The authors provide a detailed analysis of the troubleshooting process and the tools employed, emphasizing the requirements for adopting this crucial remanufacturing solution. Moreover, the benefits of remanufacturing to industries and stakeholders are highlighted by offering a cost-effective alternative to replacing equipment, increasing the reusability of obsolete products, and reducing e-waste. By addressing the challenges of adopting remanufacturing, limitations and areas for future focus to enhance sustainability can be identified. Additionally, a comprehensive technical survey of the most common reasons for electronic failure at the board level demonstrates the feasibility and practicality of remanufacturing processes. These valuable insights reveal the possibility of realizing remanufacturing and guide technicians and stakeholders in implementing remanufacturing practices in various sectors, including oil and gas, petrochemicals, power generation, and factories. Lastly, by showcasing an example of a GCC region facility specializing in remanufacturing industrial electronic equipment, the potential contribution to a more sustainable future is emphasized,; this makes it easier to advocate for the adoption of remanufacturing as a more sustainable and economically viable approach in the industrial sector, particularly in oil and gas, for effective e-waste management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas‐releasing/scavenging hydrogels have wide applications in biomedical and industrial fields. However, the covalently crosslinked nature of these existing materials makes them difficult to degrade or recycle, leading to a waste of raw materials and aggravating environmental pollution. Herein, a new class of pH‐responsive and recyclable hydrogels with versatile gas‐releasing and scavenging properties is reported, utilizing pH changes to reversibly control disassembly and reassembly of the hydrogel network. The initial hydrogels are constructed via the one‐pot radical polymerization and contain dynamic molecular networks based on hydrophobic interactions, which can disassemble when the materials are placed in low pH solutions. The disassembled copolymer chains can reform hydrogels, following supplementation with fresh mineral salts and micelle monomers in neutral solutions. Moreover, the mineral salts used to reform hydrogels can function as gas donors or scavengers, endowing these hydrogels with versatile gas‐releasing and consuming properties. Overall, this research provides a facile and environmentally friendly method to recycle hydrogels with gas‐releasing and gas‐scavenging properties, which have potential applications in diverse fields, including wound healing, wastewater management, and gas therapy for diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic core–shell nanomaterial Fe3O4–SiO2–Cu2O/Cu was first successfully synthesized using an economical strategy. Using Fe3O4 as a magnetic center for easy recycling and SiO2 as the connecting layer, Cu elements were evenly and steadily distributed on the surface of the Fe3O4–SiO2–Cu2O/Cu core–shell nanostructure. The magnetic catalyst performed outstanding catalytic reduction activity for 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), and the complete catalytic reduction of 4-NP was achieved within only 5 min. What's more, the catalyst could be well recycled, and the catalytic efficiency remained more than 90% after being reused 24 times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Dynamic multi-period EoL traction battery recycling network with capacity expansions. • Location decisions are taken on two levels of the supply chain, namely for disassembling centers and recycling plants. • Model is applied to an OEM in Germany with data derived from cost estimation. • Literature investigation and demonstration of their limitation. • Trade-off between economy of scale and transport costs exists. The growth of the battery powered vehicle market will lead to an increasing amount of End of Life (EoL) electric vehicle battery systems (EVBSs) in the future. Although pointed out as a future challenge by research as well as industry, the analysis and design of EoL traction batteries' recycling networks have not been conducted extensively. Existing quantitative optimization models do not contain dynamic characteristics that are of importance for a growing market. We present a dynamic EoL battery reverse supply chain optimization model that allows planning over multiple periods and multiple supply chain layers while including capacity expansions of disassembling centers and recycling plants. The model is applied to a case study of an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of battery electric vehicles that handles all EoL recycling activities for its batteries in a single stakeholder-driven network in Germany. The average EoL costs per EVBS were estimated to decrease by over 35% from 2030 to 2044 due to using larger processing facilities that benefit from economy of scale and lower transportation costs because more locations exist. The network change is driven by the growth of EoL EVBS supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of carbon neutralization, the electric vehicle and energy storage market is growing rapidly. As a result, battery recycling is an important work with the consideration of the advent of battery retirement and resource constraints, environmental factors, resource regional constraints, and price factors. Based on the theoretical research of intelligent algorithm and mathematical models, an integer programming model of urban power battery reverse supply chain scheduling was established with the goal of the highest customer satisfaction and the least total cost of logistics and distribution, to study the influence of the resources and operation status of a built city recycling center and dismantling center on the power battery reverse supply chain. The model includes vehicle load, customer demand point satisfaction range, and service capacity constraints. This study collected regional image data, conducted image analysis, and further designed an improved Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II) optimization algorithm suitable to solve the global optimization problem by introducing the improvement strategy of convergence rate, particle search, and the traditional elite individual retention. The results verified the practicability of the model, the global optimization ability of the algorithm to solve the problem, and the operation speed through comparing the results obtained from the basic algorithm. A reasonable comprehensive solution for the location and path optimization of the urban recycling center was also obtained. Multi-objective optimization was carried out in vehicle scheduling, facility construction, and customer satisfaction construction. The basic algorithm and integrated optimization software were compared. We found that the model and the scheme provided by the algorithm can significantly reduce the operation cost of the enterprise. This research provided new insights for enterprises to effectively utilize resources and optimize the reverse supply chain scheduling of an urban power battery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of China's express delivery industry, the number of express packaging has proliferated, leading to many problems such as environmental pollution and resource waste. In this paper, the process of reverse logistics network design for express packaging recycling is given as an example in the M region, and a four-level network containing primary recycling nodes, recycling centers, processing centers, and terminals is established. A candidate node selection model based on the K-means algorithm is constructed to cluster by distance from 535 courier outlets to select 15 candidate nodes of recycling centers and processing centers. A node selection model based on the NSGA-II algorithm is constructed to identify recycling centers and processing centers from 15 candidate nodes with minimizing total cost and carbon emission as the objective function, and a set of Pareto solution sets containing 43 solutions is obtained. According to the distribution of the solution set, the 43 solutions are classified into I, II, and III categories. The results indicate that the solutions corresponding to Class I and Class II solutions can be selected when the recycling system gives priority to cost, Class II and Class III solutions can be selected when the recycling system gives priority to environmental benefits, and Class III solutions can be selected when the society-wide recycling system has developed to a certain extent. In addition, this paper also randomly selects a sample solution from each of the three types of solution sets, conducts coding interpretation for site selection, vehicle selection, and treatment technology selection, and gives an example design scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Semi-automated generation of regionalized paper recycling life-cycle inventories. • National impacts on climate change of recycling three paper grades in 191 countries. • Life-cycle assessment case study of Quebec's mixed wastepaper recycling system. Recycling is a commonly acknowledged strategy to reduce the environmental impacts linked to primary resource exploitation. Large regional variations can be observed in recycling processes' parameters, like efficiency, energy mix and treatment of rejects. Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is widely used to evaluate the environmental impacts of recycling processes, but existing studies are neither harmonized nor sufficient to provide a comprehensive geographical and technological coverage of recycling processes. The purpose of this research is to develop an efficient and iterative approach for the parametrized generation of semi-automated regionalized life-cycle inventories that take into account technological and geographical variabilities in the recycling sector. The regionalization framework is then applied to create a parametrized paper recycling regionalization tool. This tool is used in the results section to compare the national climate change impacts of recycling three paper grades. Results show a significant global warming impact variability between countries for recycled graphic paper (0.36 to 2.25 kg CO 2 -Eq/kg wastepaper recycled), newsprint (0.27 to 1.84 kg CO 2 -Eq/kg wastepaper recycled) and corrugated cardboard (0.28 to 1.68 kg CO 2 -Eq/kg wastepaper recycled) productions. A regionalized LCA of the international recycling of the mixed wastepaper exported from Quebec's (Canada) sorting centers is also performed with the tool and compared to the non-regionalized mixed wastepaper recycling process available in the ecoinvent database. Only nine midpoint ReCiPe impact categories remain environmentally advantageous compared to virgin paper production when applying the regionalization methodology, compared to sixteen when using the ecoinvent process, illustrating how regionalization can substantially influence LCA results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization and economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa have undergone dramatic changes in recent decades with countries in sub-Saharan Africa seeking to industrialize their economies to boost economic growth. This study, with panel data from 37 sub-Saharan countries between the time period of 1995 and 2017, employs panel cointegration tests and pooled mean group ARDL (PMG-ARDL) techniques and the Dumitrescu-Hurlin causality test to empirically examine the impact of urbanization, economic growth, energy consumption, and industrialization on carbon emissions. Results from the PMG estimator confirm no significant impact of urbanization on carbon emissions in both the long run and short run. One percent surge in energy consumption was found to have significantly caused 1.03% and 0.15% rise in carbon emissions in both long run and short run respectively, thereby reducing the environmental quality. Further findings revealed a significantly negative relationship between economic growth and carbon emissions as well as industrialization and carbon emissions. Additionally, our causality test shows a unidirectional relationship running from energy consumption to carbon emissions. Policymakers are advised to develop rural areas and plan urban centers, pay attention to sustainable energy sources and waste recycling, and educate the populace to improve environmental quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]