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Tumu K, Vorst K, Curtzwiler G. Global plastic waste recycling and extended producer responsibility laws. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 348:119242. [PMID: 37832296 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
In the USA, 8.66% of municipal solid waste (MSW) plastic was recycled and 75.9% landfilled (2018). Some critical challenges in widespread adoption of post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic include high collection costs, sortation complexity, inconsistent feedstock properties, and unknown contamination leading to safety considerations. The objective of this review is to discuss global Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies/regulations and their ability to facilitate coordination of domestic/international policies and business to overcome critical recycling complications. Global EPR and recycling laws were examined to compare and contrast initiatives to increase recycling and avoid plastic waste generation. EPR laws increase producers' liability towards product generation, marketing, and disposal by applying fees and taxes on products depending on product recyclability and volume generation. Countries with established plastic EPR regulations and landfill bans often possess higher recycling rates. The results of this research can facilitate development of local regulatory mandates to increase recycling rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khairun Tumu
- Polymer and Food Protection Consortium, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
| | - Keith Vorst
- Polymer and Food Protection Consortium, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
| | - Greg Curtzwiler
- Polymer and Food Protection Consortium, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
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2
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Su W, Hou Y, Huang M, Xu J, Du Q, Wang P. Evaluating the efficiency of primary health care institutions in China: an improved three-stage data envelopment analysis approach. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:995. [PMID: 37715162 PMCID: PMC10503195 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-09979-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Primary health care (PHC) institutions are key to realizing the main functions of the health care system. Since the new health care reform in 2009, the Chinese government has invested heavily in PHC institutions and launched favorable initiatives to improve the efficiency of such institutions. This study is designed to gauge the efficiency of PHC institutions by using 2012-2020 panel data covering 31 provinces in China. METHODS This study applied an improved three-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to evaluate the efficiency of PHC institutions in China. Unlike the traditional three-stage DEA model, the input-oriented global super-efficiency slack-based measurement (SBM) DEA model is used to calculate the efficiency in the first and third stages of the improved three-stage DEA model, which not only allows the effects of environmental factors and random noise to be taken into account but also deal with the problem of slack, super-efficiency and the comparability of interperiod efficiency values throughout the efficiency measurement. RESULTS The results show that the efficiency of PHC institutions has been overestimated due to the impact of external environmental factors and random noise. From 2012 to 2020, the efficiency of PHC institutions displayed a downward trend. Moreover, there are significant differences in the efficiency of PHC institutions between regions, with the lowest efficiency being found in the northeast region. The efficiency of PHC institutions is significantly affected by residents' annual average income, per capita GDP, population density, the percentage of the population aged 0-14, the percentage of the population aged 65 and older, the number of people with a college education and above per 100,000 residents, and the proportion of the urban population. CONCLUSIONS Substantial investment in PHC institutions has not led to the expected efficiency gains. Therefore, more effective measures should be taken to improve the efficiency of PHC institutions in China based on local conditions. This study provides a new analytical approach to calculating the efficiency of PHC institutions, and this approach can be applied to efficiency evaluation either in other fields or in other countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanmin Su
- General Practice Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan, 528244, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
- School of Nursing and Health, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yatian Hou
- School of Nursing and Health, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengge Huang
- School of Nursing and Health, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiamian Xu
- General Practice Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan, 528244, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingfeng Du
- General Practice Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan, 528244, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
| | - Peixi Wang
- General Practice Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan, 528244, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
- School of Nursing and Health, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, Henan, People's Republic of China.
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3
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Kurniawan TA, Othman MHD, Liang X, Goh HH, Gikas P, Kusworo TD, Anouzla A, Chew KW. Decarbonization in waste recycling industry using digitalization to promote net-zero emissions and its implications on sustainability. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 338:117765. [PMID: 36965421 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Digitalization and sustainability have been considered as critical elements in tackling a growing problem of solid waste in the framework of circular economy (CE). Although digitalization can enhance time-efficiency and/or cost-efficiency, their end-results do not always lead to sustainability. So far, the literatures still lack of a holistic view in understanding the development trends and key roles of digitalization in waste recycling industry to benefit stakeholders and to protect the environment. To bridge this knowledge gap, this work systematically investigates how leveraging digitalization in waste recycling industry could address these research questions: (1) What are the key problems of solid waste recycling? (2) How the trends of digitalization in waste management could benefit a CE? (3) How digitalization could strengthen waste recycling industry in a post-pandemic era? While digitalization boosts material flows in a CE, it is evident that utilizing digital solutions to strengthen waste recycling business could reinforce a resource-efficient, low-carbon, and a CE. In the Industry 4.0 era, digitalization can add 15% (about USD 15.7 trillion) to global economy by 2030. As digitalization grows, making the waste sector shift to a CE could save between 30% and 35% of municipalities' waste management budget. With digitalization, a cost reduction of 3.6% and a revenue increase of 4.1% are projected annually. This would contribute to USD 493 billion in an increasing revenue yearly in the next decade. As digitalization enables tasks to be completed shortly with less manpower, this could save USD 421 billion annually for the next decade. With respect to environmental impacts, digitalization in the waste sector could reduce global CO2 emissions by 15% by 2030 through technological solutions. Overall, this work suggests that digitalization in the waste sector contributes net-zero emission to a digital economy, while transitioning to a sustainable world as its social impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman
- Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Johor Bahru, Skudai, Malaysia
| | - Xue Liang
- School of Electrical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Hui Hwang Goh
- School of Electrical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Petros Gikas
- Technical University of Crete, School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Chania, Greece
| | - Tutuk Djoko Kusworo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Diponegoro University, Semarang, 50275, Indonesia
| | - Abdelkader Anouzla
- Department of Process Engineering and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology, University Hassan II of Casablanca, Mohammedia, Morocco
| | - Kit Wayne Chew
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 637459, Singapore
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4
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Yao C, Liu G, Hao X, Liu Y. Symbiotic integration of waste disposal capability within a city cluster: The case of the Yangtze River Delta. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 330:117166. [PMID: 36603257 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.117166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
With the ongoing urbanization in developing regions, integrating regional waste disposal capability is challenging due to unbalanced economic development and rising environmental issues. This research proposed a multi-dimensional symbiotic integration of waste disposal capability. Applying data from the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) in China, we first explore the waste flows and interactions between cities to identify the possibility of inter-municipal collaboration based on the augmented gravity model. We then employ social network analysis to categorize the cities in the collaborative network of waste disposal into subgroups by functionalities. Finally, we proposed the top-down framework of symbiotic networks for waste disposal. Our findings indicate that YRD cities can be classified into four types according to their waste density and disposal efficiency: High-High, Low-High, Low-Low, and High-Low. We also identify three types of inter-municipal collaborative relationships: between high-density and high-efficiency cities, between high-density cities, and between high-efficiency cities. The city subgroups can be categorized into "high-efficiency clusters," "high-density clusters," and "hub clusters," which pave the way for a shared or complementary urban symbiosis in the waste recycling industry. The division of roles among subgroups enables symbiotic activities within the city cluster. This paper extends the spatial scope of industrial symbiosis literature and has practical implications for transitioning to a circular economy in waste management of developing countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengyan Yao
- School of Economics and Management, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092; China
| | - Guangfu Liu
- School of Economics and Management, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092; China
| | - Xinyu Hao
- School of Economics and Management, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092; China; Department of Public and International Affairs, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077; China
| | - Yanran Liu
- Shanghai International College of Intellectual Property, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092; China.
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5
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Molinos-Senante M, Maziotis A, Sala-Garrido R, Mocholí-Arce M. Factors influencing eco-efficiency of municipal solid waste management in Chile: A double-bootstrap approach. WASTE MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOLID WASTES AND PUBLIC CLEANSING ASSOCIATION, ISWA 2023; 41:457-466. [PMID: 36196845 PMCID: PMC9925897 DOI: 10.1177/0734242x221122514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Improving eco-efficiency in the provision of municipal solid waste plays an important role for a sustainable economy. Eco-efficiency of municipal solid waste service providers (MSWSPs) has been generally assessed using the conventional data envelopment analysis (DEA) method. However, this approach is sensitive to data noise and has no statistical properties. To overcome these limitations, in this paper, we adopt the double-bootstrap DEA model to derive robust eco-efficiency scores. This nonparametric method allows conducting statistical inference to explore environmental factors affecting the eco-efficiency of MSWSPs. The empirical approach focused on a sample of 298 MSWSPs in Chile, a middle-income country whose policies for promoting waste recycling are incipient. The results indicated that based on the bias-corrected eco-efficiency scores, the potential saving in costs and unsorted waste could be up to 37.8% on average to generate the same level of output (recycled waste). The findings showed that dealing with data noise and uncertainly is of great importance when conducting benchmarking analysis. The region where the municipality is located, tourism, population density and waste per capita are environmental variables that significantly influenced eco-efficiency of Chilean MSWSPs. Several policy implications are discussed based on the findings of this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Molinos-Senante
- Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y
Ambiental, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Matemáticas para la
Economía y la Empresa, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Alexandros Maziotis
- Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y
Ambiental, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ramón Sala-Garrido
- Departamento de Matemáticas para la
Economía y la Empresa, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel Mocholí-Arce
- Departamento de Matemáticas para la
Economía y la Empresa, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
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6
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Feng Z, Yang J, Chen L, Chen Z, Li L. An Intelligent Waste-Sorting and Recycling Device Based on Improved EfficientNet. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:15987. [PMID: 36498058 PMCID: PMC9740151 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192315987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The main source of urban waste is the daily life activities of residents, and the waste sorting of residents' waste is important for promoting economic recycling, reducing labor costs, and protecting the environment. However, most residents are unable to make accurate judgments about the categories of household waste, which severely limits the efficiency of waste sorting. We have designed an intelligent waste bin that enables automatic waste sorting and recycling, avoiding the extensive knowledge required for waste sorting. To ensure that the waste-classification model is high accuracy and works in real time, GECM-EfficientNet is proposed based on EfficientNet by streamlining the mobile inverted bottleneck convolution (MBConv) module, introducing the efficient channel attention (ECA) module and coordinate attention (CA) module, and transfer learning. The accuracy of GECM-EfficientNet reaches 94.54% and 94.23% on the self-built household waste dataset and TrashNet dataset, with parameters of only 1.23 M. The time of one recognition on the intelligent waste bin is only 146 ms, which satisfies the real-time classification requirement. Our method improves the computational efficiency of the waste-classification model and simplifies the hardware requirements, which contributes to the residents' waste classification based on intelligent devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhicheng Feng
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Maglev Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Jie Yang
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
- Ganjiang Innovation Academy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Lifang Chen
- Department of Science, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Zhichao Chen
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Maglev Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Linhong Li
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Maglev Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
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7
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Abubakar IR, Maniruzzaman KM, Dano UL, AlShihri FS, AlShammari MS, Ahmed SMS, Al-Gehlani WAG, Alrawaf TI. Environmental Sustainability Impacts of Solid Waste Management Practices in the Global South. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:12717. [PMID: 36232017 PMCID: PMC9566108 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Solid waste management (SWM) is one of the key responsibilities of city administrators and one of the effective proxies for good governance. Effective SWM mitigates adverse health and environmental impacts, conserves resources, and improves the livability of cities. However, unsustainable SWM practices, exacerbated by rapid urbanization and financial and institutional limitations, negatively impact public health and environmental sustainability. This review article assesses the human and environmental health impacts of SWM practices in the Global South cities that are the future of global urbanization. The study employs desktop research methodology based on in-depth analysis of secondary data and literature, including official documents and published articles. It finds that the commonplace SWM practices include mixing household and commercial garbage with hazardous waste during storage and handling. While waste storage is largely in old or poorly managed facilities such as storage containers, the transportation system is often deficient and informal. The disposal methods are predominantly via uncontrolled dumping, open-air incinerators, and landfills. The negative impacts of such practices include air and water pollution, land degradation, emissions of methane and hazardous leachate, and climate change. These impacts impose significant environmental and public health costs on residents with marginalized social groups mostly affected. The paper concludes with recommendations for mitigating the public and environmental health risks associated with the existing SWM practices in the Global South.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismaila Rimi Abubakar
- College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khandoker M. Maniruzzaman
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Umar Lawal Dano
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faez S. AlShihri
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maher S. AlShammari
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sayed Mohammed S. Ahmed
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Wadee Ahmed Ghanem Al-Gehlani
- Department of Architecture, College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 32141, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tareq I. Alrawaf
- Department of Landscape Architecture, College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia
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8
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Amaral C, Isabel Pedro M, Cunha Ferreira D, Cunha Marques R. Performance and its determinants in the Portuguese municipal solid waste utilities. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 139:70-84. [PMID: 34953379 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2021.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The unprecedented population increase brings several consequences to the environment, including the rise of urbanization levels and municipal solid waste (MSW) production - one expects that it may reach 3.4 billion tons per year by 2050. This paper contributes to the debate of efficiency measurement of MSW utilities management using the Portuguese case study. Our objectives are twofold. First, we assess the efficiency levels of municipalities in MSW collection through the Data Envelopment Analysis model, choosing total costs, staff, and vehicles as inputs, and the quantity of MSW collected (selective and refuse waste) as outputs. The efficiency results point to an average inefficiency level of about 35% and potential cost savings of over €96 million yearly. Second, by using a set of fifteen performance indicators monitored by the regulatory agency, we evaluate their relationship with the efficiency of MSW utilities, through the order-m model. Our results suggest that, in opposition to the management model, the rural/urban nature of councils helps explain part of the inefficiency. In general, the conditional-to-unconditional efficiency ratios reached values statistically different from 1, meaning that those indicators help explaining their efficiency distribution and the benchmarks profile, and need to be considered in future performance analyses. Remarkable and influential indicators include the accessibility to the service (average ratio = 0.95), the recycling rate (0.94), the monetization of the vehicle fleet (0.92), the pollution resulting from greenhouse gas emissions of waste collection vehicles (0.81), and council size measured by the population or the number of households (0.47).
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9
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Zhang X, Yu J, Jin B, Huang Y, Wang Z. Improving the Adsorption Capacity of the Sorbent for Gaseous PbCl 2 during Incineration by Forming Pb 3(PO 4) 2: Preparation of the Sorbent and Evaluation of Adsorption Performance. Ind Eng Chem Res 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.1c03319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xuezhong Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Jianfei Yu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Baosheng Jin
- School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Yaji Huang
- School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Zhifei Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
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10
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Eco-Productivity Analysis of the Municipal Solid Waste Service in the Apulia Region from 2010 to 2017. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su132112008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This paper presents a dynamic efficiency study of the solid waste management in the municipalities of the Apulia region (Southern Italy). The study employs the non-parametric Global Malmquist Index to measure the change in productivity of the municipal solid waste service from 2010 to 2017. Three different DEA-based models are implemented to measure productivity. The first model computes the service productivity solely from the economic perspective, while the second and third models compute the service productivity from both the economic and environmental perspectives. Adopting two distinct perspectives provides a more comprehensive insight into the performance of the waste management service considering the productivity and the eco-productivity of service provision. The results from the productivity analysis show that, between 2010 and 2017, the municipal solid waste sector was still facing a transitional period characterized by low cost-efficiency and productivity growth measurements. Vice versa, the efficiency and productivity indicators improve when the analysis is performed accounting for the environmental impact. Indeed, both the eco-efficiency and eco-productivity measures increase from 2010 to 2017. Findings demonstrate the critical importance to include environmental indicators in the efficiency and productivity analysis.
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11
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Shi Y, Wang Y, Yue Y, Zhao J, Maraseni T, Qian G. Unbalanced status and multidimensional influences of municipal solid waste management in Africa. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 281:130884. [PMID: 34289601 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The overall status of MSW management in Africa is evaluated systematically, in sight of life cycle indicators such as MSW generation daily per capita, collection and treatment methods. The relations of life cycle indictors with driving factors, including economic level, geographical location, urbanization and solid waste legislation process, are discussed. The results present that the major indicators had obvious regional differences, which can divide Africa into three levels: North Africa and South Africa > West Africa and Central Africa > East Africa. Besides, the disposal methods in North Africa, South Africa and West Africa have evolved from simple open dumping to sanitary landfill, composting and recycle treatment, while opening dumping is still rampant in East Africa. With a combination tool of Principal Component Analysis and Multiple Linear Regression, it was identified that economic growth, urbanization and geographical location are the most critical factors influencing the unbalanced statue of MSW management in Africa. By cluster analysis, unbalance status of MSW management in African countries can be integrated into three grades of MSW management level: good, fair and poor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Shi
- Department of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Yao Wang
- Department of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China; Shanghai Institute of Geological Survey, Shanghai, 200072, China.
| | - Yang Yue
- Materials Genome Institute of Shanghai University, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Jun Zhao
- Department of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Tek Maraseni
- Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, 4350, Australia
| | - Guangren Qian
- Department of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
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12
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Llanquileo-Melgarejo P, Molinos-Senante M. Evaluation of economies of scale in eco-efficiency of municipal waste management: an empirical approach for Chile. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:28337-28348. [PMID: 33538967 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-12529-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In the circular economy context, improving the eco-efficiency of the management of municipal solid waste (MSW) occupies a prominent role. The aim of this study was to evaluate the eco-efficiency of MSW services provided by a sample of 142 Chilean municipalities using data envelopment analysis (DEA), a method that integrates both economic and environmental variables into a single performance index. This study also investigated whether the MSW facilities are affected by economies of scale. In a second stage of analysis, the effects of some exogenous variables on the eco-efficiency of MSW services were explored. The results demonstrated that 92.3% of the municipalities evaluated were not eco-efficient and presented notable room for improvement as the average eco-efficiency score was 0.58. In addition, 40.4% of the municipalities presented negative economies of scale; i.e. their operational size was not optimum and joint organization of MSW management systems should be promoted. Finally, the population served, population density, tourism and waste generated per capita were shown to have a significant impact on the eco-efficiency of MSW services. The results of this study will be beneficial for policymakers to formulate effective public policies to make the provision of MSW services more cost- and environmentally effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Llanquileo-Melgarejo
- Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Ambiental, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna, 4860, Santiago, Chile.
| | - María Molinos-Senante
- Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Ambiental, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna, 4860, Santiago, Chile
- Centro de Desarrollo Urbano Sustentable ANID/FONDAP/15110020, Av. Vicuña Mackenna, 4860, Santiago, Chile
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13
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Kurniawan TA, Lo W, Singh D, Othman MHD, Avtar R, Hwang GH, Albadarin AB, Kern AO, Shirazian S. A societal transition of MSW management in Xiamen (China) toward a circular economy through integrated waste recycling and technological digitization. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 277:116741. [PMID: 33652179 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Recently Xiamen (China) has encountered various challenges of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) such as lack of a complete garbage sorting and recycling system, the absence of waste segregation between organic and dry waste at source, and a shortage of complete and clear information about the MSW generated. This article critically analyzes the existing bottlenecks in its waste management system and discusses the way forward for the city to enhance its MSWM by drawing lessons from Hong Kong's effectiveness in dealing with the same problems over the past decades. Solutions to the MSWM problem are not only limited to technological options, but also integrate environmental, legal, and institutional perspectives. The solutions include (1) enhancing source separation and improving recycling system; (2) improving the legislation system of the MSWM; (3) improvement of terminal disposal facilities in the city; (4) incorporating digitization into MSWM; and (5) establishing standards and definitions for recycled products and/or recyclable materials. We also evaluate and compare different aspects of MSWM in Xiamen and Hong Kong SAR (special administrative region) under the framework of 'One Country, Two Systems' concerning environmental policies, generation, composition, characteristics, treatment, and disposal of their MSW. The nexus of society, economics of the MSW, and the environment in the sustainability sphere are established by promoting local recycling industries and the standardization of recycled products and/or recyclable materials. The roles of digitization technologies in the 4th Industrial Revolution for waste reduction in the framework of circular economy (CE) are also elaborated. This technological solution may improve the city's MSWM in terms of public participation in MSW separation through reduction, recycle, reuse, recovery, and repair (5Rs) schemes. To meet top-down policy goals such as a 35% recycling rate for the generated waste by 2030, incorporating digitization into the MSWM provides the city with technology-driven waste solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan
- Faculty of Social Work, Health and Nursing, Ravensburg-Weingarten University of Applied Sciences, Weingarten, 88216, Germany; College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, PR China.
| | - Waihung Lo
- Dept. Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Deepak Singh
- Department of Geography and Resource Management, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman
- Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
| | - Ram Avtar
- Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 0600810, Japan
| | - Goh Hui Hwang
- School of Electrical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi Province, PR China
| | - Ahmad B Albadarin
- Bernal Institute, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, V94 T9PX, Ireland
| | - Axel Olaf Kern
- Faculty of Social Work, Health and Nursing, Ravensburg-Weingarten University of Applied Sciences, Weingarten, 88216, Germany
| | - Saeed Shirazian
- Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, 550000, Viet Nam; Faculty of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, 550000, Viet Nam; Laboratory of Computational Modeling of Drugs, South Ural State University, 76 Lenin prospekt, Chelyabinsk 454080, Russia
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14
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Benito B, Guillamón MD, Martínez-Córdoba PJ, Ríos AM. Influence of selected aspects of local governance on the efficiency of waste collection and street cleaning services. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 126:800-809. [PMID: 33895563 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2021.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Currently, in all developed countries there is great interest in improving democratic practices in local governments, as the administration closest to citizens. However, the possible influence of these actions on the management of public services and municipal finances have been side-lined, despite the great interest in evaluating the performance of local governments under budgetary constraints. Our research aims to fill this knowledge gap by studying the impact of key aspects of local governance (transparency and citizen participation), together with other environmental variables, on the efficiency of two municipal public services of both qualitative and quantitative importance: waste collection and street cleaning. The results show that the type of management, population density, the tourist activity of the municipality and the strength of local government are determinants that explain the efficiency of the public services examined in this research, while transparency and citizen participation have little impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernardino Benito
- Department of Accounting and Finance, Faculty of Economics and Business, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100 Espinardo (Murcia), Spain.
| | - María-Dolores Guillamón
- Department of Accounting and Finance, Faculty of Economics and Business, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100 Espinardo (Murcia), Spain.
| | - Pedro-José Martínez-Córdoba
- Department of Accounting and Finance, Faculty of Economics and Business, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100 Espinardo (Murcia), Spain.
| | - Ana-María Ríos
- Department of Finance and Public Sector Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
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15
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Nkosi N, Muzenda E, Gorimbo J, Belaid M. Developments in waste tyre thermochemical conversion processes: gasification, pyrolysis and liquefaction. RSC Adv 2021; 11:11844-11871. [PMID: 35423733 PMCID: PMC8696848 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra08966d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Fossil fuels, particularly crude oil, have proven to be a source of energy to households, transportation and power industries over the past decades. This natural reserve is diminishing at an alarming rate with crude oil having reserves to last the earth for the next half a century. As a result, researchers are constantly seeking remedial technologies to close this gap. Thermochemical conversion processes such as pyrolysis, gasification and liquefaction (PGL) offer an alternative solution to mitigating the world's high reliance on crude oil. These processes can be employed to provide energy, fuel and high-end value-added products. This paper aims to highlight all the research and development advancements and trends that have been made over the past three decades while employing waste tyres and other feedstock. In addition, the prominent countries and their associated researchers who have made novel discoveries in the field of thermochemical conversion are extensively discussed. The research findings show that significant research outputs such as the utilization of vast types of feed materials, the reaction mechanisms, the factors affecting the processes, and the application of the different end-products for thermochemical processes are well documented in the literature. Also, the collected data showed that significant advancements have been achieved in developing PGL technologies. The following conclusions were drawn: (i) PGL technologies show a generally increasing percentage interest from 1990 to 2020, (ii) many authors have identified the end-products obtained from waste feedstocks, such as; waste tyres, biomass, plastics, food waste, microalgae and animal manure to yield promising application benefits, (iii) China has shown the greatest interest in investing into waste to energy initiatives and has demonstrated the vast applications of waste derived products and, (iv) employing waste tyres as a feedstock has shown potential for producing high-end value products in their crude form or refined form. Some of the shortcomings identified during the study are the modest interest shown by most African regions as well as the lack of regulatory frameworks developed by certain countries. Fossil fuels, particularly crude oil, have proven to be a source of energy to households, transportation and power industries over the past decades.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- N Nkosi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Johannesburg Johannesburg South Africa
| | - E Muzenda
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology Palapye Botswana
| | - J Gorimbo
- Institute for the Development of Energy for African Sustainability (IDEAS), University of South Africa's College of Science, Engineering and Technology Cnr Pioneer and Christian De Wet Roads, Private Bag X6 Florida 1710 South Africa
| | - M Belaid
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Johannesburg Johannesburg South Africa
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16
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Zhu JJ, Park D, Chang DT, Cheng C, Anderson PR, Fan HJ. Unsupervised aided investigation on the associations between municipal solid waste characteristics and socio-economic conditions. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 194:110633. [PMID: 33359459 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 10/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Better municipal solid waste (MSW) management can help to address environmental concerns and supports economic and social development. Because MSW characteristics can change over time, management strategies should also evolve and be applied correspondingly. However, many previous studies have focused on MSW characterization or investigated specific management strategies for a target MSW. Few studies have assessed the spatial variations of MSW characteristics and socio-economic (SE) conditions as well as their associations. This study evaluated the feasibility of using an integrated unsupervised method (cluster analysis and cross-tabulation analysis) to explore these topics for MSW management. Results suggest that the integrated method can successfully help to reveal key information. Seven jointed MSW-SE scenarios were investigated based on 259 individual observations of Taiwan. Associations between MSW compositions and SE conditions were identified statistically significant for four MSW-SE scenarios. In general, the general SE type (SE1) is very likely to generate high food wastes and other combustible, low paper, wood, and rubber wastes (MSW1). The small island SE type (SE3) is more likely to produce high paper and low wood, rubber, textile, and other noncombustible wastes (MSW2). Overall, the method applied in this study could help to reveal statistical associations between MSW and SE, which can help decision-makers comprehend underlying facts and develop effective management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Jie Zhu
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, 60616-3793, USA.
| | - Daeryong Park
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05029, South Korea
| | - Da Tian Chang
- Department of Environmental, Safety and Health Engineering, Hungkuang University, Taichung, 43302, Taiwan
| | - Cheng Cheng
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, 60616-3793, USA
| | - Paul R Anderson
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, 60616-3793, USA
| | - Huan-Jung Fan
- Department of Environmental, Safety and Health Engineering, Hungkuang University, Taichung, 43302, Taiwan.
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17
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Evaluation of the Impact of Separative Collection and Recycling of Municipal Solid Waste on Performance: An Empirical Application for Chile. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13042022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The collection of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a public service with notable effects on the environment and public health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of selective collection and recycling of MSW on the performance of municipalities in providing MSW services. By employing the data envelopment analysis method, the efficiency and eco-efficiency scores for a sample of 298 municipalities in Chile were analyzed and compared. The efficiency estimation focused on the economic performance of the municipalities in the provision of MSW services, whereas the eco-efficiency assessment also integrated the environmental performance. The results indicated that the selective collection and recycling of MSW had a significant impact on the performance of the municipalities in providing these services. The percentages of efficient and eco-efficient municipalities were very low (4.70% and 4.36%, respectively), thus demonstrating the large room for performance improvement by Chilean municipalities in the management of MSW. The efficient and eco-efficient municipalities were heterogeneously distributed throughout the country, revealing the lack of collaboration between municipalities at the regional level. Finally, exogenous variables to the management of MSW carried out by the municipalities, including the population served, population density, tourism and waste generated per capita, all had an impact on the efficiency and eco-efficiency scores. The results and conclusions of this study are of great relevance for policy makers at the regional and local levels to improve the management of MSW in the context of a circular economy.
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18
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Adekola PO, Iyalomhe FO, Paczoski A, Abebe ST, Pawłowska B, Bąk M, Cirella GT. Public perception and awareness of waste management from Benin City. Sci Rep 2021; 11:306. [PMID: 33432016 PMCID: PMC7801630 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79688-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Poor waste management is increasingly becoming a major challenge for municipalities, globally. Unlike previous waste management studies in Nigeria, this study examines the implications of waste management to regional greenhouse gas emissions based on awareness levels and perception of urban inhabitants. Benin City was divided into four residential zones: core, intermediate, suburban, and planned estates. Blocking was utilized to collect data from a total of 2720 randomly selected inhabitants through a self-administered survey. Results reveals low awareness level in terms of indiscrimination dumping of waste, thereby promoting sustainable mitigation and adaptation measures region-wide. It is imperative to integrate various aspects of regional government services such as infrastructure, urban planning and development, socioeconomics, public health, and regulation enforcement. Waste management policy is strengthened via working groups, community, and regional authorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- P O Adekola
- Demography and Social Statistics Programme, Department of Economics and Development Studies, College of Management and Social Sciences, Covenant University, Ota, 112233, Nigeria
- Centre for Economic Policy and Development Research, Covenant University, Ota, 112233, Nigeria
- Polo Centre of Sustainability, 18100, Imperia, Italy
| | - F O Iyalomhe
- Polo Centre of Sustainability, 18100, Imperia, Italy
- Ministry of Environment and Sustainability, Edo State Government, Benin City, 300372, Nigeria
- Department of Environmental Sciences, National Open University of Nigeria, Abuja, 900211, Nigeria
| | - A Paczoski
- Faculty of Economics, University of Gdansk, 81-824, Sopot, Poland
| | - S T Abebe
- Polo Centre of Sustainability, 18100, Imperia, Italy
| | - B Pawłowska
- Faculty of Economics, University of Gdansk, 81-824, Sopot, Poland
| | - M Bąk
- Faculty of Economics, University of Gdansk, 81-824, Sopot, Poland
| | - G T Cirella
- Faculty of Economics, University of Gdansk, 81-824, Sopot, Poland.
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19
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Anaerobic Digestion Performance: Separate Collected vs. Mechanical Segregated Organic Fractions of Municipal Solid Waste as Feedstock. ENERGIES 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/en13153768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The replacement of fossil fuel with renewable energy sources seems as though it will be crucial in the future. On the other hand, waste generation increases year by year. Thus, waste-to-energy technologies fit in with the actual trends, such as the circular economy. The crucial type of generated waste is municipal solid waste, which is in the research area. Regarding the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW), anaerobic digestion (AD) allows the recovery of biogas and energy. Furthermore, if it is supported by source segregation, it should allow the recovery of material as fertilizer. The AD process performance (biogas yield and stability) comparison of source-segregated OFMSW (ss-OFMWS) and mechanically sorted OFMSW (ms-OFMSW) as feedstocks was performed in full-scale conditions. The daily biogas volume and methane content were measured to assess AD efficiency. To verify the process stability, the volatile fatty acid (VFA) content, pH value, acidity, alkalinity, and dry matter were determined. The obtained biogas yield per ton was slightly higher in the case of ss-OFMSW (111.1 m3/ton), compared to ms-OFMSW (105.3 m3/ton), together with a higher methane concentration: 58–60% and 51–53%, respectively, and followed by a higher electricity production capacity of almost 700 MWh for ss-OFMSW digestion. The obtained VFA concentrations, at levels around 1.1 g/kg, pH values (slightly above 8.0), acidity, and alkalinity indicate the possibilities of the digester feeding and no-risk exploitation of either as feedstock.
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20
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Yang Q, Zuo C, Liu X, Yang Z, Zhou H. Risk Response for Municipal Solid Waste Crisis Using Ontology-Based Reasoning. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17093312. [PMID: 32397529 PMCID: PMC7246749 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17093312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Many cities in the world are besieged by municipal solid waste (MSW). MSW not only pollutes the ecological environment but can even induce a series of public safety crises. Risk response for MSW needs novel changes. This paper innovatively adopts the ideas and methods of semantic web ontology to build an ontology-based reasoning system for MSW risk response. Through the integration of crisis information and case resources in the field of MSW, combined with the reasoning ability of Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL), a system of rule reasoning for risk transformation is constructed. Knowledge extraction and integration of MSW risk response can effectively excavate semantic correlation of crisis information along with key transformation points in the process of crisis evolution through rule reasoning. The results show that rule reasoning of transformation can effectively improve intelligent decision-making regarding MSW risk response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Yang
- School of Safety Science and Emergency Management, School of Management, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China;
- School of Management, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China; (C.Z.); (H.Z.)
| | - Chen Zuo
- School of Management, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China; (C.Z.); (H.Z.)
| | - Xingxing Liu
- School of Safety Science and Emergency Management, School of Management, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China;
- Correspondence: (X.L.); (Z.Y)
| | - Zhichao Yang
- College of Information and Computer Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst 01002, MA, USA
- Correspondence: (X.L.); (Z.Y)
| | - Hui Zhou
- School of Management, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China; (C.Z.); (H.Z.)
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21
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Romano G, Molinos-Senante M. Factors affecting eco-efficiency of municipal waste services in Tuscan municipalities: An empirical investigation of different management models. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2020; 105:384-394. [PMID: 32120265 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2020.02.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The efficient provision of municipal solid waste (MSW) services is essential from an economic and environmental perspective. This paper investigates the effect of ownership type on the eco-efficiency of MSW management in Tuscan municipalities. In the first stage of the analysis, the authors use a data envelopment analysis metafrontier approach with the integration of unsorted waste as an undesirable output. Three different clusters of municipalities are created based on the ownership type of the municipal waste operators: public, private, and mixed. In the second stage of analysis, the paper investigates factors affecting eco-efficiency in order to provide new knowledge that can be used by policy and decision makers to improve eco-efficiency. The results show that eco-efficiency is higher for municipalities that entrust the delivery of waste services to publicly owned firms compared to municipalities with delivery by mixed and private firms. Moreover, eco-efficiency in MSW management is higher for municipalities with younger residents, a larger population, and an overall higher population density. Smaller municipalities and those with less tourism manage their waste services more eco-efficiently than do bigger municipalities and those with more tourism. The results indicate that policy-makers should improve communication and engagement activities with older residents in smaller, less densely populated areas. In municipalities featuring heavy tourism, eco-taxes could be used to support these activities, avoiding any impact on residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Romano
- Department of Economics and Management, University of Pisa, Via Ridolfi, 10, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
| | - María Molinos-Senante
- Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avda. Vicuña Mackenna, 4860 Santiago, Chile
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22
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Bayesian-Based NIMBY Crisis Transformation Path Discovery for Municipal Solid Waste Incineration in China. SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11082364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Environmental conflicts have been a top global focus and issue for human’s sustainable development. China is confronted with a serious situation with a rigid demand of ecological governance, in which the “Not In My Back Yard” (NIMBY) crisis outbreaks frequently. NIMBY has a great impact on government management and social stability. This study aims to analyze the NIMBY crisis transformation path for municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) in China. Considering environmental, social and economic influences, this study seeks to find methods of transforming dangers into opportunities. A conceptual framework for realizing the NIMBY crisis transformation in waste management decision-making was conducted with a hybrid approach. A fishbone diagram was applied to explain the key factors of NIMBY crisis transformation for MSWI. Integrating Bayesian network structure discovery and co-word analysis into a qualitative analysis, searched data and key factors from a literature search engine with specific themes were used for structure learning. The results showed that project location, benefit compensation, publicity and education, public decision, public participation, the rule of law and multiple governance have distinct influences on the NIMBY crisis transformation process in China. In summary, the conceptual framework describes the complex process of NIMBY crisis transformation and helps to deepen data mining for municipal solid waste management (MSWM).
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