Process assessment, integration and optimisation: The path towards cleaner production

The impact of local government competition and green technology innovation on economic low-carbon transition: new insights from China

The government-led Chinese economic development system determines that local government competition is a significant factor affecting the economic low-carbon transition. Driving an economic development mode with green technology innovation as the core is the critical path to realizing an economic low-carbon transition. Consequently, it is of significant practical relevance to investigate the impact of local government competition and green technology innovation on the economic low-carbon transition under the government-led Chinese economic development system. This paper systematically explores the nexus between green technology innovation and economic low-carbon transition in terms of local government competition perspective using the system generalized method of moments, panel threshold model, and geographically weighted regression on the basis of a dataset of 30 provincial administrative areas in China from a period of 2006-2019. The results indicate that green technology innovation significantly promotes the economic low-carbon transition. Local government competition not only significantly dampens the economic low-carbon transition but also considerably inhibits the positive effect of green technology innovation on the economic low-carbon transition. A significant N-shaped association is evident between green technology innovation and the economic low-carbon transition when green technology innovation is applied as a threshold, while such association is insignificant when local government competition is used as a threshold. Compared with high-competition intensity areas, green technology innovation promotes economic low-carbon transition weaker in low- competition intensity areas, while local government competition inhibits economic low-carbon transition stronger. However, local government competition significantly inhibits the positive effect of green technology innovation on the economic low-carbon transition in low-competition intensity areas, while insignificant in high-competition intensity areas. The geographically weighted regression technique as a whole also verified the above results. Therefore, policymakers should not only increase research and development investment in green technologies, but also develop a regionally linked low-carbon emission reduction system to avoid ineffective competition among governments to facilitate the earlier fulfillment of the "dual carbon" goal.

Environmental policies for the treatment of waste generated by COVID-19: Text mining review

The rapid transmission of COVID-19 has meant that all economic and human efforts have been focused on confronting it, ignoring environmental aspects whose consequences are causing adverse situations all over the planet. The saturation of the sanitary system and confinement measures have multiplied the waste generated, which implies the need to adapt environmental policies to this new situation caused by the pandemic. It is a review article whose objective was to identify the environmental policies that would facilitate an adequate treatment of the waste generated by the pandemic. It was proposed to analyse the current lines of research developed on this paradigm, applying the text mining methodology. A systematic review of 111 studies published in environmental journals indexed in the Web of Science was carried out. The results identified three areas of interest: knowledge of transmission routes, management of the massive generation of plastics and appropriate treatment of solid waste in extreme situations. Leaders are called upon to implement the contingency plans to sustainably alleviate the enormous waste burden caused by society's adaptation to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. Specifically, innovation aimed at achieving the reuse of medical products, the promotion of the circular economy and educational campaigns to promote clean environments should be encouraged.

Comparative analysis on the bleaching of crude palm oil using activated groundnut hull, snail shell and rice husk

Researchers have found out several ways by which environmental pollution can be of positive relevance by recycling the waste to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment. The bleaching process is a crucial process in palm oil refining in which an adsorbent is majorly used to adsorb the unwanted colour pigments and a wide range of other impurities. This study aims to modify three different adsorbents; Groundnut hull, Snail shell, and rice husk and processed them into powder form as Groundnut hull powder [GHP], Snail shell powder [SSP] and Rice husk powder [RHP] respectively. The effects of three factors: temperature, mass and time were investigated on the response. MINITAB 19 software was employed which resulted in 20 runs. The optimization of the bleaching effects imposed by the adsorbents on palm oil using Central Composite Design (CCD) was evaluated. The free fatty acid and peroxide value decrease with bleaching while the saponification value increased with bleaching. The analysis conducted shows that groundnut hull was able to adsorb the most significant value of FFA and peroxide value in the palm oil. The lowest value of FFA obtained indicates that bleaching increases the shelf life of the oil and makes it more suitable for soap making.

Challenges, Strategies, and Recommendations for the Huge Surge in Plastic and Medical Waste during the Global COVID-19 Pandemic with Circular Economy Approach

After December 2019, the globe was affected by a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes severe respiratory illnesses, which is responsible for increasing environmental problem consequences related to the extra consumption of medical waste and single-use plastics (such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and packaging plastics). Although the consumption of these plastics protects our life during this crisis, it is pivotal to move toward plastic recycling processes and environmentally friendly and sustainable alternatives, like bio-based degradable plastics with a circular economy perspective. This review article collected scattered information and provided a future perspective on how worldwide COVID-19 disruption can perform as a catalyst to improve plastic and medical waste management. Additionally, this paper illustrates the most effective disinfection technologies for COVID-19 wastes, such as high/low heat technologies and chemical disinfection, and PPE reusing processes, including dry heat, vaporized hydrogen peroxide, ozone, and UV light during the outbreak. In this vein, medical waste treatment facilities must be more automatic, with a minimum of personnel involved. Moreover, some recent valid guidelines from different international organizations and countries, future outlook, and practical recommendations that could be effective during this epidemic or even in the post-pandemic world for plastic and medical waste management were provided. Ultimately, governments should improve their waste management because of the potential of pathogen transmission or increased plastic and medical waste generation and try to enhance the environmental knowledge of society. People also should revise their viewpoints on plastic consumption by elevating sustainable behaviors, abandoning old habits, and adjusting to novel ones.