Waste Management and Symbiosis for Waste Valorization

Abstract

Sustainable solid waste management is a necessary prerequisite for all societies today in order to protect the environment and human health. The environmental burden caused by the high waste generation rates has to be effectively dealt with, since the link between economic growth and waste should be broken and decoupling should be achieved. Furthermore, it is necessary to focus on basic and applied research in order to find the best ways and solutions so as to promote the valorization of the generated waste from a huge number of sources either by manufacturing new products with high added value or producing energy. Research and technology have the power to identify additional innovative ways so as to make efficient use of the value hidden within the different waste streams generated and expand the life cycle of goods and products with multi-side positive effects. The waste valorization as source or through symbiosis approach is associated with resource efficiency and circular economy. This Special Issue entitled: ‘‘Waste Management and Symbiosis for Waste Valorization’’ includes the best papers presented in two conferences, namely, the ATHENS2014 2nd International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management (http://www.athens2014.biowaste.gr) held at Royal Hotel in Athens from 12th to 14th June 2014 and the SYMBIOSIS 2014 Conference (http://www.conference 2014.esymbiosis.eu) held at President Hotel in Athens from 19th to 21st June 2014. The ATHENS 2014 Conference aimed to address the significant issues for sustainable solid waste management through the promotion of effective technologies and success practices, stimulating the interest of scientific community, competent authorities and public and inform them about the latest developments in the field of municipal solid waste management. Biological Treatment (composting and anaerobic digestion), the treatment at central facilities, waste prevention and separation at source with emphasis on biowaste also constituted priority subjects of the rich conference agenda. Special attention was drawn on compost and its quality, as well as recycling. The Conference was organized within the LIFE? ATHENS-BIOWASTE project (LIFE10 ENV/GR/000605) (www.biowaste.gr) dealing with the separate collection and composting of biowaste. The SYMBIOSIS 2014 Conference aimed to address the significant issue of utilization of the generated industrial waste through the promotion of effective technologies and safe practices. The Conference focused mainly on industrial symbiosis, the sharing of services, utility, and byproduct resources among industries in order to add value, reduce costs and improve the environment. The Conference was organized in the framework of the LIFE? eSYMBIOSIS project (LIFE09 ENV/GR/000300) (www.esym biosis.eu) building the Industrial Symbiosis concept with the use of a developed platform. Industrial Symbiosis should be considered as one of the solutions to be addressed to achieve more efficient processing, resource and energy efficient systems for the process industry. It aimed to stimulate the interest of scientists, industries and associations and inform them about creating economic and environmental value through interfirm collaboration moving towards a near-zero waste society. & Maria Loizidou mloiz@chemeng.ntua.gr