Disposal Actions Research Articles

Reducing Plastic Waste by Visualizing Marine Consequences

Plastic pollution has become a major global conservation challenge. To reduce the generation of plastic waste, we designed and tested several behavioral interventions in a randomized control trial to reduce plastic waste in a high-rise office building. We randomly assigned eight floors in the building to four conditions: (1) simplified recycling signage, (2) signage with a marine animal trapped in plastic debris, (3) signage with a pledge that invited people to be plastic wise to protect ocean life, and (4) control. We found that the signage with the animal reduced plastic waste by 17%, the largest effect among the other conditions. After implementing the signage to the entire building, we found an overall reduction in plastic waste over 6 weeks. The current study demonstrates the effectiveness of visualizing marine consequences of plastic waste and provides a behavioral solution connecting disposal actions and the downstream consequences for plastic waste reduction.

The paradox between the environmental appeal of bio-based plastic packaging for consumers and their disposal behaviour

To realize the potential environmental benefits that recycling and/or composting bio-based plastic packages can deliver, it is important that consumers view bio-based packaging as environmentally-friendly, but also correctly dispose of the packaging. The current experimental lab-in-the-field study was conducted among German consumers (n = 281) and explores whether consumers' perceived environmental benefits of recyclable and compostable bio-based plastic packages match with how consumers dispose of these packages. The results show that consumers only perceive compostable bio-based packages to have more environmental benefits than fossil-based packages. However, consumers dispose of compostable bio-based packages in an incorrect manner (not in line with what is communicated on the packaging label) relatively often. Consumers with a stronger familiarity with bio-based products more often correctly dispose of compostable bio-based packages, but not recyclable bio-based packages, relative to fossil-based packages. Thus, although mainly compostable bio-based plastic packages have strong environmental appeal to consumers, paradoxically this does not translate in the proper disposal actions to fully capitalize on the environmental benefits that bio-based packages can actually deliver. Increasing consumers' bio-based product familiarity might be an avenue to increase the levels of sustainable disposal.

Large-scale Rowe cell experimental study on coefficient of consolidation of coal mine tailings

Tailings are the co-product of mining activities which is usually deposited in the form of slurry with high water content and compressibility. Consolidation properties of tailing materials are important for any disposal and storage actions, posing significant challenges in mining industry. In the present study, laboratory experiments were performed to investigate the compressibility and consolidation properties of coal mine tailings. The investigation were carried out on material with different grain-sizes upon application of incremental loads in a large-scale Rowe cell. The samples were collected from open pit Turów Coal Mine in Poland. Remolded samples were manufactured in laboratory as three batches of different size-ratio between fine and coarse particles, i.e. 0.5, 0.75, 0.25. Simultaneous measurements of settlements together with pore water pressure were used for determination of coefficient of consolidation, cv. For this purpose gradient method was used which is applicable for whole the consolidation curve including secondary consolidation.

The Influence of Shopping Orientation on Difficulty Discarding and Disposal Behavior of Fashion Products

Due to the rapid expansion of fashion, consumers easily purchase fashion products, the period of wearing apparel is shortened, and the occurrence of clothes piling up in the closet is increasing. In order to induce and suggest rational consumption and disposal actions, research focused on the factors influencing difficulty discarding and disposal behavior toward a fashion product is needed. Thus, this study considered fashion-shopping orientation as a variable affecting difficulty discarding and disposal behavior toward fashion products. A total of 325 questionnaires were collected, and 11 were discarded due to partial responses or missing data. Finally, a total of 314 survey questionnaires were analyzed. Frequency, exploratory factor, reliability, and multiple regression analyses were employed for data analysis using SPSS 23.0. The study results were as follows. First, hedonic and economic shopping orientation positively affected difficulty discarding a fashion product, whereas rational shopping orientation negatively affected difficulty discarding a fashion product. Second, hedonic, economic, and conspicuous shopping orientation positively affected reuse behavior among disposal behavior toward a fashion product. Third, trend-seeking and convenient shopping orientation positively influenced handover behavior. Fourth, economic and conspicuous shopping orientation positively affected separation discard behavior. The results of this study provide various guidelines for manufacturers and retailers of fashion products.

Assessment of breakup severity on operational satellites

In the past years, several methods have been proposed to rank spacecraft and space debris objects depending on their effect on the space environment. The interest in this kind of indices is primarily motivated by the need of prioritising potential candidates of active debris removal missions and to decide on the required reliability for disposal actions during the design phase. The index proposed in this work measures the effect of the catastrophic fragmentation of the analysed spacecraft in terms of the resulting collision probability for operational spacecraft. The propagation of the debris cloud generated by the fragmentation and the estimation of the collision probability are obtained by applying an analytical approach based on the study of the density of the fragment cloud. The dependence of the proposed severity index on the mass of the spacecraft and on its semi-major axis and inclination is investigated. The index was computed for the objects in the DISCOS database and its results were compared to other formulations proposed in literature. A discussion on the results and on the comparison is presented.

Myocardial Fat Accumulation Is Independent of Measures of Insulin Sensitivity.

Myocardial steatosis, an independent predictor of diastolic dysfunction, is frequently present in type 2 diabetes mellitus. High free fatty acid flux, hyperglycemia, and hyperinsulinemia may play a role in myocardial steatosis. There are no prior studies examining the relationship between insulin sensitivity (antilipolytic and glucose disposal actions of insulin) and cardiac steatosis. Using a cross-sectional study design of individuals with and without metabolic syndrome (MetSyn), we examined the relationships between cardiac steatosis and the sensitivity of the antilipolytic and glucose disposal actions of insulin. Pericardial fat (PF) volume, intramyocardial and hepatic fat (MF and HF) content, visceral fat (VF) and sc fat content were assessed by magnetic resonance imaging in 77 subjects (49 without MetSyn and 28 with MetSyn). In a subset of the larger cohort (n = 52), peripheral insulin sensitivity index (SI) and adipocyte insulin sensitivity (Adipo-SI) were determined from an insulin-modified frequently sampled iv glucose tolerance test. The Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index was used as a surrogate for hepatic insulin sensitivity. Individuals with the MetSyn had significantly higher body mass index, total body fat, and MF, PF, HF, and VF content. HF and VF, but not MF, were negatively correlated with the Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index, Adipo-SI, and SI. Stepwise regression revealed that waist circumference and serum triglyceride levels independently predicted MF and PF, respectively. Adipo-SI and serum triglyceride levels independently predict HF. Myocardial steatosis is unrelated to hepatic, adipocyte, or peripheral insulin sensitivity. Although it is frequently observed in insulin-resistant subjects, further studies are necessary to identify and delineate pathogenic mechanisms that differentially affect cardiac and hepatic steatosis.

Joint control of production, remanufacturing, and disposal activities in a hybrid manufacturing–remanufacturing system

To generate insights into how production of new items and remanufacturing and disposal of returned products can be effectively coordinated, we develop a model of a hybrid manufacturing–remanufacturing system. Formulating the model as a Markov decision process, we investigate the structure of the optimal policy that jointly controls production, remanufacturing, and disposal decisions. Considering the average profit maximization criterion, we show that the joint optimal policy can be characterized by three monotone switching curves. Moreover, we show that there exist serviceable (i.e., as-new) and remanufacturing (i.e., returned) inventory thresholds beyond which production cannot be optimal but disposal is always optimal. We also identify conditions under which idling and disposal actions are always optimal when the system is empty. Using numerical comparisons between models with and without remanufacturing and disposal options, we generate insights into the benefit of utilizing these options. To effectively coordinate production, remanufacturing, and disposal activities, we propose a simple, implementable, and yet effective heuristic policy. Our extensive numerical results suggest that the proposed heuristic can greatly help firms to effectively coordinate their production, remanufacturing, and disposal activities and thereby reduce their operational costs.

Greening academia: Use and disposal of mobile phones among university students

Mobile phones have relatively short lifecycles and are rapidly seen as obsolete by many users within little over a year. However, the reusability of these devices as well as their material composition means that in terms of mass and volume, mobile phones represent the most valuable electronic products that are currently found in large numbers in waste streams. End-of-life mobile phones are a high value (from a reuse and resource perspective), high volume (quantity), low cost (residual monetary value) and transient (short lifecycle) electronic product. There are very large numbers of higher education (mainly university) students in the world – there are >2.4 million in the UK alone, 19 million in Europe and 18.2 million in the USA – and they often replace their mobile phones several times before graduation. Thus, because of the potentially significant environmental and economic impacts, a large scale survey of students at 5 UK universities was conducted to assess the behaviour of students with regard to their use and disposal of mobile phones. Additionally, a small scale trial mobile phone takeback service at one of the universities was carried out. The findings indicate that many students replace their phones at least once a year; replacing broken phones, getting upgrades from network operators, remaining “fashionable” and a desire to have a handset with a longer battery life are the main reasons for such rapid replacement. Almost 60% of replaced phones are not sent to reuse or recycling operations but are stockpiled by students mainly as spare/backup phones. Approximately 61% of students own an extra mobile phone with male students replacing their phones more often than females. In particular, the results highlight the potentially huge stockpile of mobile phones – and consequently valuable supplies of rare metals – being held by the public; we estimate that there are 3.7 million phones stockpiled by students in UK higher education alone (29.3 and 28.1 million stockpiled, respectively, for Europe and USA). Although many students are aware of UK mobile phone takeback services, only a moderate number have previously used the services. Students’ recycling of other waste materials such as paper and glass did not have a significant impact on their disposal actions for their unwanted mobile phones, although students who often recycled these waste materials were also the most willing to participate in mobile phone takeback services. Monetary incentives such as cash payments and vouchers have the greatest influence over students’ willingness to utilise takeback services, followed by convenience and ease of use of the services. The paper discusses these findings as well as the outcome of the trial mobile phone takeback. It is suggested that universities should partner with established takeback operators to conduct event-based mobile phone takeback services primarily targeting students. Lessons from mobile phone takeback applicable to takeback services for end-of-life gadgets similar to mobile phones are also discussed.

Packaging and Proenvironmental Consumption Behavior

Understanding proenvironmental consumption behavior may enable companies to establish reputational and competitive advantages. This study generates new insights by analyzing consumer-related factors related to distinct but connected package-related behaviors regarding beverage consumption: purchase and postconsumption disposal. An online survey among 176 German respondents provides empirical support for all but one hypothesis. The results suggest that eco-friendly purchase and disposal decisions for beverages are related to the environmental awareness of consumers and their eco-friendly attitude. Furthermore, consumers are willing to trade off almost all product attributes in favor of environmentally friendly packaging of beverages, except for taste and price. The nonsupported hypothesis pertains to the expectation that believing in the positive effects of own eco-friendly disposal actions will guide ecological disposal behavior. Perceived behavioral control may thus not translate into actual disposal behavior. Underlying this may be the belief that individual actions are not enough to contribute to a greener world.

A Stochastic Assessment of Nuclear Waste Management Practices at the Hanford Site, Washington

ABSTRACTWaste management and disposal decisions at the Hanford Site, Washington, depend in part on an understanding of the risks and impacts associated with alternate disposal and remedial actions. A proof-of-principle site-wide assessment of the risks and impacts associated with all wastes that will remain at the Hanford Site following cleanup has been performed for the first time. It simulates contaminant release, migration, and fate from the initiation of site operations in 1944 forward, and, thus, illustrates historical and near-term influences on long-term risk and impact.A stochastic simulation tool capable of addressing 1000 waste discharge and disposal sites and 10 contaminants for a period of 1000 years has been created and applied. Human health and ecological risks as well as impacts to the regional economy and local cultures are estimated. The methodology developed is known as the System Assessment Capability (SAC). It is currently in a Revision 0 state corresponding to a proof-of-principle demonstration.An initial assessment based on the planning baseline of the U.S. Department of Energy (Richland Operations office and office of River Protection) has been undertaken. Preliminary results of the assessment indicate variability in predictions is most influenced by uncertainty in:- geochemical adsorption (i.e., distribution coefficients, Kd) for contaminant release, vadose zone, and groundwater models; especially for uranium and iodine which are somewhat but not greatly adsorbed,- solid waste burial ground inventories of iodine-129, and- liquid discharge site inventories of technetium-99.It is apparent that variables governing change in performance are a function of space and time. Initially, these results point to the need for related models and data to be examined, and, if necessary, augmented through future laboratory and field studies to better quantify or reduce uncertainty.