Effective sewage management is vital for public health, sanitation, and environmental protection in urban areas. This study examines the historical development and current status of sewage collection and disposal systems in Bogura, the largest municipality in northern Bangladesh. It explores three key historical periods: pre-1947, 1947–1971, and post-1971. Data were collected through interviews with senior citizens, municipal officials (including the town planner and executive engineer), household surveys, municipality records, and secondary literature. Findings reveal that sewage disposal before 1947 was largely unmanaged, with waste dumped in open areas or ponds. From 1947 to 1971, limited improvements occurred through the establishment of municipal dumping sites. Post-1971, significant improvements in sewage infrastructure were observed, including the utilization of septic tanks and pit latrines, and improvements in the drainage systems. The study highlights persistent challenges such as inadequate treatment facilities, rapid urbanization, and poor maintenance. It recommends integrating modern technologies, strengthening governance, and fostering community participation in sanitation initiatives.

This paper presents development of generalised equations for predicting chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency from wastewater through a photo-electro catalysis process based on experimental measures conducted earlier. From series of experimental measurements involving three contributing factors (time, voltage and pH), two were selected for the formulation as the third one (voltage) was kept constant at 2.5 V, which yielded the highest removal efficiency. Seven individual equations of time-varying COD removals were developed for the seven different pH values (3–9). It is found that the coefficients/constants of the developed equations can be correlated with corresponding pH values, rendering a single generalised equation which is capable to predict COD removal at any time under any pH. Predictions from the developed equations were compared with the mentioned experimental measurements. It is found that the developed equation is capable to accurately predict potential COD removal efficiency having a correlation coefficient of 0.99 with the measured data. Standard errors of the equation’s estimations are also quite low, having RMSE = 4.82, MAE = 3.97 and RAE = 0.10. Such mathematical frameworks are expected to assist decision makers on deciding optimum input parameters in removing COD through the mentioned photo-electro catalysis process from municipal wastewater.

Effective construction waste management is a pressing need for our sustainable built environment. One of the key factors in an effective waste management plan is accurately quantifying the likely waste volume generated by a project. In this study, we develop a new model to account for waste generation using work breakdown quantification (WBQ) at the design stage. Das Modell basiert auf der detaillierten, aktivitätsspezifischen Abfallbeobachtung eines laufenden industriellen Bauprojektes über 17 150 m2, die 332 267 kg Abfall produziert hat. The WBQ model links 12 major activities that generate waste to waste coefficients for unit activity (x) and per square metre (y) for 34 types of material waste. Validation with six established models (Yost and Halstead, Gheewala, Fatta, Martinez–Lage, Hsiao, and Wang) showed close agreement with WBQ (19.4 kg/m2), with an accuracy range of 18.99–21.36 kg/m2. This model also allows tendering and project delivery to consider waste management issues earlier so that zero-waste principles can be developed as part of project delivery, based on circular economy principles. The study demonstrates the environmental and economic benefits of proactive waste quantification.

Metal-organic framework-based electrocatalysis (EC) technology has emerged as an innovative approach for completely mineralising large, non-recyclable textile colouring agents in water. This process generates intermediate reactive species, such as superoxide and hydroxyl radicals, resulting in clean and environmentally friendly products, making it an attractive, pollution-free solution. For this study, a semiconductor-based composite material with a type II heterostructure was developed to serve as a photoanode, enhancing the generation of reactive radicals for effective wastewater treatment. Different concentrations of composite materials featuring ZIF-67 nanosheets were synthesised on Co2MnO4 nanorods using a one-step hydrothermal process on a titanium (Ti) metal. The electrochemical cell was constructed with this Ti/Co2MnO4@ZIF-67 anode, employing the EC method to degrade reactive brilliant blue (KN-R). The resulting electrode exhibited a large electroactive area, low charge transfer resistance, and exceptional electrochemical (EC) performance. The optimal composite anode achieved an 85.28% removal rate of reactive brilliant blue KN-R within 2 h and showed practical sustainability over five cycle tests. The EC process also analysed and discussed the mechanism based on radical trapping experiments. This work highlights the construction of Ti/Co2MnO4@ZIF-67 materials with a type II heterojunction, offering valuable insights into catalytic techniques for purifying organic wastewater.

Cathode carbon is a hazardous byproduct generated during aluminium electrolysis. Converting this waste into an adsorbent offers an effective method for reducing sludge volume and improving waste management. In this study, cathode waste was dissolved in sodium hydroxide and heated to 90°C under magnetic stirring. After filtration, the remaining solids were treated with a mixture of water and sulfuric acid, stirred again, filtered, and washed with distilled water until the filtrate reached neutral pH. The morphology and chemical composition of the produced adsorbent were characterized using SEM, XRD, and XRF. Adsorption experiments determined that the optimal adsorbent doses for benzene, toluene, and para-xylene were 0.8, 0.6, and 0.2 g/L, respectively. The adsorbent showed capacities of 12.043 mg/g for benzene, 8.48 mg/g for toluene, and 10.775 mg/g for para-xylene, with removal efficiencies of 77%, 97%, and 86%. The fitting results indicated that adsorption of benzene and toluene followed the Langmuir model, while para-xylene was better described by the Freundlich model. The findings demonstrate that cathodic-waste–derived carbon adsorbent is highly effective for removing petroleum hydrocarbons from contaminated water and offers strong potential for water and wastewater treatment applications.

This study investigates the feasibility of utilising shredded waste plastics as a controlled alternative for coarse aggregate in structural concrete. In most previous studies, the use of waste plastics was limited to non-load-bearing or lean concrete due to concerns regarding their compressive strength. However, this study proposes using shredded waste plastics in conventional structural concrete. Crushed plastic granules were incorporated at varying substitution rates (0%–20% by volume content) into a standard concrete mix of 25 MPa grade. The experimental investigation consisted of 20 cubes, 10 cylindrical specimens, 5 beams, and four mixes with different % of shredded plastic waste: 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% replacement of coarse aggregate by weight, as well as a control mix. A comprehensive suite of mechanical and microstructural evaluations was conducted for all specimens. The findings show that workability decreases as the plastic material content increases. Compressive, split tensile, and flexural strengths increased slightly up to 5% and slightly reduced beyond 5% replacement level. Specifically, concrete beams with waste plastic aggregates exhibited higher ductile failure performance. A scanning electron microscopic study revealed that shredded plastics improved the reduction of microcracks, at the expense of the concrete’s density and weight. This study is vital for determining how to utilise shredded plastic waste as a partial replacement for coarse aggregate in structural concrete applications.

Waste management is a global priority that affects public health, environmental quality, and the aesthetics of society. Rapid urbanisation and population growth have intensified the challenges in solid waste generation and its management. In Kochi City, Kerala, issues persist due to legacy waste. This study introduces the household waste control index (HWCI), a qualitative tool structured around three indicators: input, process, and output, to assess household waste management. A study among 384 households in Kochi City reveals that waste management practice remains suboptimal, underscoring the importance of fostering community engagement and social awareness to improve waste control practices. This study aligns local waste management strategies with the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) through a mixed-method approach, combining household surveys with statistical analysis. The findings identify awareness, accessibility of waste facilities, and community participation as key factors influencing sustainable practices. The results directly support SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), while indirectly contributing to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Incorporating public perception into municipal waste management provides actionable insights to advance Kochi’s progress toward sustainability.

This study explored the viability of monitoring or low-discharge extraction wells surrounded by clusters of cylinders filled with reactive media to remediate contaminated groundwater. A numerical finite-difference model simulated leakage from a hypothetical waste storage facility above an unconfined aquifer. Linear arrays of clusters around a central monitoring (non-pumped) or low-discharge extraction well were evaluated for contaminant plume containment and removal capability. Pumping schemes involved one or more downgradient extraction wells and an upgradient injection well. Without pumping, a minimum of seven clusters, with centres spaced 1.5 m apart, effectively contained and removed the contaminant plume. The most effective low-discharge schemes, extracting less water to remove the plume, were a 1.5-m-spaced three-extraction well scheme, followed by a single-extraction well scheme. Lacking a well along a downgradient extension of the contaminant plume’s long axis, two-extraction well schemes were less effective overall. The modelled configuration – reactive cylinders around a central monitoring or low-discharge well in the same borehole – is novel, with capability for in situ remediation; performance monitoring; low-discharge extraction; exchanging spent media cartridges; and accommodating a fluctuating water table. Results outlined above indicate that passive or low-discharge reactive cylinder clusters may be viable at some sites with narrow contaminant plumes.

In 2024, we embarked on creating a themed issue of Waste and Resource Management, asking for authors to contribute to this issue. We invited contributions to answer a key question: how can the waste and resource management sector help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve Net Zero? Our contributors certainly delivered and helped us to understand some of the key issues.What do we mean by Net Zero, and why is it important in the waste management sector? Net Zero means cutting greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible, with any remaining emissions re-absorbed from the atmosphere, by oceans and forests for instance (United Nations, 2023).Waste is directly and indirectly responsible for greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to the climate emergency, and the waste sector is responsible for 20% of global methane emissions and 3.3% of global greenhouse gas emissions (World Economic Forum, 2022).The construction sector in its entirety is thought to account for 37% of global emissions since the manufacture of key construction materials such as cement, steel and aluminium have a large carbon footprint (United Nations Environment Programme, 2023). The sector also produces a large amount of waste, with 61% of the UK’s total waste from construction and demolition in 2020 (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 2025).As highlighted in three of our themed issue papers waste prevention in the construction sector is key. The implementation of the circular economy where waste is eliminated and materials are kept in use for as long as possible is vital in tackling climate change (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2025).As outlined by Williams et al. (2025), waste prevention in the form of successful architectural salvage and reclamation could make a small but important contribution to net-zero resource and waste management. Retaining buildings, parts of buildings or reusing those parts in new designs can reduce the embodied carbon compared to building from scratch and reduces the reliance on raw materials.Olubambi et al. (2025) highlighted that a shift to designing buildings that reduce and ultimately eliminate construction waste are important, with building information modelling cited as a key tool and enabler.Mbadugha and Ozumba (2025) explored the traditional waste hierarchy in the context of behaviour highlighting that the term waste prevention can also be represented in day-to-day terminology such as ‘make do and mend’, renting, sharing and passing on. All these activities can contribute towards the circular economy, keeping construction materials in use for longer and preventing these from becoming waste.Another waste type that is contributing to global greenhouse gas emissions is food waste. According to United Nations Climate Change (UNFCCC, 2024), food loss and waste account for 8–10% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions and costs US$1 trillion annually. Research undertaken by Payling et al. (2025) showed that surplus food redistribution can alleviate the volume of food sent to landfill and offset greenhouse gas emissions associated with food waste and has many other societal benefits.While waste prevention is key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, recycling of waste is also an important contributor and as Pacifici et al. (2024) rightly asked: do we really know the environmental impacts of chemical recycling of plastics? The paper highlighted the importance of reviewing the environmental impacts of each process before choosing how to recycle a waste.So, as a final thought, what else can the waste and resource management sector do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve Net Zero? Perhaps we should also consider how will the sector help us all? Will we see more solar panels on waste management facility roofs, solar panels on closed landfills, more electric refuse collection vehicles; perhaps also carbon dioxide capture from our waste recovery facilities, if currently programmed demonstration plants prove to be environmentally advantageous? The waste sector will also have a key part to play in reusing, recycling and recovery of the vital technology we need to use to help achieve Net Zero, such as batteries and solar panels at the end of life.

This study aims to determine strategies to improve the design of sanitary drainage systems (SDS) in high-rise buildings within the Ghanaian construction industry. A literature review was conducted to identify 19 key indicators related to SDS, which guided the development of a questionnaire to validate the study’s objective. A total of 310 participants with experience in high-rise SDS in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana were sampled. These participants included plumbing contractors, plumbing instructors, building services engineers, and site engineers. The purposive sampling method was used to select respondents based on their expertise. The study identified several major strategies for improving SDS design. These include adequate ventilation, provision of access points, use of high-quality pipework materials, use of long-radius bends or de-aerators at the base of stacks, air-tight joints, adequate pipe support, appropriate pipe sizing, and post-installation testing of the system. As there are currently no known studies on SDS in high-rise buildings in Ghana, this study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by addressing the design of SDS in high-rise buildings in the Greater Accra Region. This inform policy, design standards, and construction practices.