Environmental Waste Research Articles

Resourceful and harmless treatment of the steam-assisted gravity drainage produced fluid

The steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) process is an effective technology for heavy crude oil extraction. SAGD produced fluid (including oil, water, and sludge) that has strong stability and difficult separation characteristics. It is very necessary to thoroughly separate SAGD produced fluid, as it can lead to environmental pollution and resource waste. In this study, a combined process of thermochemical treatment and electrocoagulation was proposed to deal with SAGD produced fluid. The influence of such parameters as type and structure of surfactants, temperature, stirring rate, and current density were examined on the separation efficiency of SAGD produced fluid. The results indicated that the oil recovery rate was 99%, with the oil and suspended solids content (4.4 and 0.58 mg/L, respectively) in the water meeting the reinjection standard (oil content <15 mg/L, suspended solids <3 mg/L) and the oil content in the sludge (1 wt%) attained the solid waste disposal standard (<2 wt%). The combined separation process of SAGD produced fluid allowed the obtaining of qualified oil, sludge, and water, with oily sludge and waste water simultaneously eliminated. Therefore, this process achieved oil and water resource utilization, as well as harmless sludge treatment, which would achieve great economic benefits and application prospects in the oil field.

Nature always recovers! A degrowth analysis of event participants’ perspective on environmental impacts

This paper highlights the challenges of self-limitation, providing insights into how event sport participants relate to and act within limits. From a cultural degrowth perspective that advocates for the need to practice self-limitation and reduce environmental waste from economic activities, we examine how event participants perceive physical impacts on nature during two types of nature-based events in Jämtland, Sweden. Based on 50 semi-structured interviews, observations and photo-elicitation observations, the findings reveal the difficulties of adhering to limitations. Initially, the informants considered only trash or greenhouse gas emissions as impacts but were stunned to see photos of how impacts such as trail and soil erosion had gone beyond what they imagined. However, responsibility for limiting the effects tended to shift to others, particularly the event organisers. These two events present a paradox in tourism. The convivial idea of visiting nature collides with resource utilisation that heavily impacts the environment. Management implicationsSeveral suggestions of measures to consider emerged to limit impacts from participant and nature-based events, as well as for sport tourism in nature. While participants tend to transfer responsibility to the organisers and local authorities, creating awareness and guide them to a sustainable behaviour are highly appreciated.1.Event organisers should implement stricter guidelines for participant behaviour, providing create encouragement, options and clear instructions to reduce environmental impacts, it may in very low degree decrease their experience, but more importantly shows signs of responsibility.2.Acceptable restrictions could include walking a few metres, imposing penalties, and offering alternative routes. Local knowledge is crucial in this regard. Well-known in the respective sport should serve as role models, influencing participants to adopt more sustainable practises.3.Policy makers must ensure that event organisers adhere to specific guidelines. Local governments must facilitate measures to protect the physical environment, providing flexibility to accommodate last-minute changes if necessary.4.What types of environmental impacts are perceived and function differently in relation to the feeling of abundance of nature. While the importance of addressing global environmental impacts, equal attention should be given to preserving the physical environment.

Synergistic catalysis for promoting selective C-C/C-O cleavage in plastic waste: structure-activity relationship and rational design of heterogeneous catalysts for liquid hydrocarbon production.

Ever-increasing consumption of plastic products and poor waste management infrastructure have resulted in a massive accumulation of plastic waste in environments, causing adverse effects on climate and living organisms. Although contributing ∼10% towards the total plastic waste management infrastructure, the chemical recycling of plastic waste is considered a viable option to valorize plastic waste into platform chemicals and liquid fuels. Among the various chemical upcycling processes, catalytic hydroprocessing has attracted interest due to its potential to offer higher selectivity than other thermal-based approaches. Heterogeneous catalytic hydroprocessing reactions offer routes for converting plastic waste into essential industrially important molecules. However, the functional group similarities in the plastic polymers frequently constrain reaction selectivity. Therefore, a fundamental understanding of metal selection for targeted bond activation and plastic interaction on solid surfaces is essential for catalyst design and reaction engineering. In this review, we critically assess the structure-activity relationship of catalysts used in the hydroprocessing of plastic waste for the selective production of liquid hydrocarbons. We discuss the significance of C-C/C-O bond activation in plastic waste through active site modulation and surface modification to elucidate reaction networks and pathways for achieving selective bond activation and cleavage. Finally, we highlight current challenges and future opportunities in catalyst design to upcycle real-life plastic waste and produce selective liquid hydrocarbons.

Management of water sources and liquid waste in dairy farming environments

Management of water sources and liquid waste in dairy farming environments

Classification of waste in natural environments

A worldwide issue affecting the world is waste disposal; hence, the need to construct a waste detection system that is based on deep learning. Ten wastes are evaluated in this article with a view of providing an integrated framework for measurement and evaluation. It also offers a comprehensive account of the wastes studied further by looking at its detail finding and the challenges they pose as well as views associated with waste detection. Recycling both has economical and ecological benefits which help to eliminate pollution. Technology can now be used to turn waste into resource materials thus recycling more than before especially through the use of deep learning among other technologies.

Initial Discovery of Microplastic Presence in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Certain Fish Species in Al-Hoceima Bay

The accumulation of plastic waste in ocean environments is a critical ecological issue impacting marine wildlife and human health. This study assesses the presence of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts of fish from Al-Hoceima Bay, a key part of the Mediterranean marine ecosystem. Using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, we analyzed 90 individuals from two different species, finding that 33% of the examined fish contained microplastics. Specific occurrences were 26% in mackerel and 40% in gilthead sea bream. These findings highlight significant contamination even in commercial fishing areas, raising urgent questions about the long-term ecological effects and health risks. Therefore, the need for effective plastic waste management policies is critical to protect our marine ecosystems and food safety.

Emerging environmentally friendly bio-based nanocomposites for the efficient removal of dyes and micropollutants from wastewater by adsorption: a comprehensive review.

Water scarcity will worsen due to population growth, urbanization, and climate change. Addressing this issue requires developing energy-efficient and cost-effective water purification technologies. One approach is to use biomass to make bio-based materials (BBMs) with valuable attributes. This aligns with the goal of environmental conservation and waste management. Furthermore, the use of biomass is advantageous because it is readily available, economical, and has minimal secondary environmental impact. Biomass materials are ideal for water purification because they are abundant and contain important functional groups like hydroxyl, carboxyl, and amino groups. Functional groups are important for modifying and absorbing contaminants in water. Single-sourced biomass has limitations such as weak mechanical strength, limited adsorption capacity, and chemical instability. Investing in research and development is crucial for the development of efficient methods to produce BBMs and establish suitable water purification application models. This review covers BBM production, modification, functionalization, and their applications in wastewater treatment. These applications include oil-water separation, membrane filtration, micropollutant removal, and organic pollutant elimination. This review explores the production processes and properties of BBMs from biopolymers, highlighting their potential for water treatment applications. Furthermore, this review discusses the future prospects and challenges of developing BBMs for water treatment and usage. Finally, this review highlights the importance of BBMs in solving water purification challenges and encourages innovative solutions in this field.

The future of green skills for the manufacturing sector

The European Green Deal and the European Innovation Council (EIC) aim to drive sustainability in manufacturing. Industry 5.0 emphasises the integration of automation with green skills, highlighting their importance for sustainability. However, which manufacturing areas need green skills and which green skills are crucial in manufacturing remains unclear. This paper aims to fill these gaps, by performing a literature review and an analysis of the European Skills, Competences, Qualifications, and Occupations (ESCO) database. Results identify five critical areas: Product-Process Design, Big Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, Supply Chain Management, Circular Economy, and Energy Management. These areas necessitate skills such as environmental impact assessment, waste management, data analysis, eco-design, and knowledge of renewable energy technologies. ESCO analysis indicates that 46.28% of 3008 occupations involve green skills, which are crucial for sustainable development. Targeted training programs are needed based on identified areas and skills. Interconnections among clusters and the importance of data analysis are highlighted. Additionally, in the near future manufacturing companies should attempt to develop broad, transversal skills integrated with digitalisation to meet an increasing demand for sustainability. Overall, the study provides insights into green skills development and their critical role in shaping the future of sustainable manufacturing.

Knowledge scale to define students ‘knowledge about environment, recycling, plastic, and plastic waste’

Knowledge scale to define students ‘knowledge about environment, recycling, plastic, and plastic waste’

Closed-Loop Supply Chain Decision Making For Waste Electrical Appliances in the Context of Blockchain

WEEE recycling not only effectively reduces environmental pollution and resource waste, but also creates economic benefits, which is in line with the concept of green development. However, the recycling market for used and end-of-life electrical products is characterized by problems such as asymmetric information and easy manipulation or loss of data, which may bring losses to enterprises. In this paper, by constructing a game model of the government, producers, and third-party recyclers, We delve into the optimal strategies of individual entities within the supply chain, contemplating both scenarios: the incorporation of blockchain technology and its absence, to determine the most logical and effective approach for each. The results show that the optimal strategies of the supply chain actors change in the case of adopting blockchain technology. At the same time, the profitability of each entity within the supply chain is predominantly influenced by the rate of inventory availability, information loss rate and input technology cost, and each subject can choose whether to put into use blockchain technology according to the actual situation.

Recycled polyester fiber reinforcing red mud-improved volcanic ash as a sustainable construction material

Recycling waste for soil improvement is a cost-effective strategy to mitigate the energy consumption and carbon emission of traditional stabilization materials (cement, lime, etc.). This paper proposes an eco-friendly geotechnical improvement using recycled polyester fiber (RPF) and red mud to synergistically reinforce volcanic ash. For red mud -reinforced volcanic ash (RV) with five different RPF contents, a series of mechanical tests, water stability tests, microstructure tests and environmental impact tests were performed. Results show that RPF can significantly improve the mechanical performance and water stability of RV. The reinforcement increases with increasing RPF content, and the optimum contents of RPF is 0.9%. For specimens with optimum RPF incorporation, Unconfined compressive strength (UCS), splitting tensile strength are increased by 122%, 180%, respectively. It also allows saturated soil to still maintain higher UCS and the soil does not completely disintegrate in submerged environment. The pH value and toxicity leaching indicators of specimens both satisfy the specification limits and therefore the material has no environmental hazard. TGA, FT-IR and SEM-EDS indicate that the reinforcement mechanism of RPF on RV derives mainly from fiber-matrix interactions, including interface bonding, bridging effect and limiting micro-cracks development. RPF reinforced RV presents favorable engineering performance as a sustainable construction material and can contribute to the win-win objective of environmental conservation and waste recycling. This low-carbon and sustainable soil improvement technology can serve and guide the design of geotechnical engineering in volcanic areas.

Relationship between agriculture industry shares in GRP and waste levels: Correlation analysis

Nowadays, the problem of waste management in agriculture is becoming increasingly relevant and pressing, especially in the context of sustainable development. There is a need to develop waste management strategies to minimize its impact on the agriculture sector. Current research explores the relationship between the share of various economic sectors in the Gross Regional Product (GRP) and the levels of municipal and hazardous waste. There was conducted Bayesian Pearson correlation analysis to determine the strength and direction of relationships between selected economic indicators and environmental indicators. Using the collected data, the study also examined the relationship between human capital, the volume of hazardous waste, and their distribution among gender groups. Strong negative correlations were noted between the volume of hazardous waste and the share of construction and manufacturing. At the same time, there is a strong positive correlation between the share of construction in GRP and municipal waste per capita, which indicates possible impact of urbanization and intensification of agriculture, construction work on the environmental situation in the regions. The article contributes to the understanding of economic factors that influence the ecological state and can serve as a basis for political decisions in the field of environmental policy and waste management.

Enhancing the environmental sustainability of water treatment sludge (WTS) disposal through blended binder solidification/stabilisation

Managing water treatment sludge (WTS) is challenging due to its continuous production and environmental impact. Traditional disposal in landfills is standard but risky for groundwater contamination. Researchers are exploring a more environmentally friendly method using a blend of binders, partially replacing Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) with waste materials like Waste Paper Sludge Ash (WPSA), Palm Oil Fuel Ash (POFA) and Fly Ash (FA). These materials not only help reduce environmental waste but also decrease cement usage. The study assesses the Atterberg Limits of the treated sludge to design the appropriate solidification/stabilisation (S/S) method, providing essential data on its physical and mechanical properties Using waste materials as binders effectively stabilises the sludge, reducing reliance on cement, cutting disposal costs, and minimizing environmental pollution. The study identifies WPSA as the most suitable replacement, offering self-cementing properties, and demonstrates that combining WPSA OPC, and WTS creates a stable mix with liquefaction resistance. This approach presents a promising, cost-effective, and environmentally solution for WTS management.

Nucleic acids accumulation in environmental waste release; a scientific map of particulate nucleic acid yet unattended and a potential outbreak helix-spring

Nucleic acids accumulation in environmental waste release; a scientific map of particulate nucleic acid yet unattended and a potential outbreak helix-spring

Self-evolutionary recycling of flame-retardant polyurethane foam enabled by controllable catalytic cleavage.

Polyurethane (PU) foams, pivotal in modern life, face challenges suh as fire hazards and environmental waste burdens. The current reliance of PU on potentially ecotoxic halogen-/phosphorus-based flame retardants impedes large-scale material recycling. Here, our demonstrated controllable catalytic cracking strategy, using cesium salts, enables self-evolving recycling of flame-retardant PU. The incorporation of cesium citrates facilitates efficient urethane bond cleavage at low temperatures (160 °C), promoting effective recycling, while encouraging pyrolytic rearrangement of isocyanates into char at high temperatures (300 °C) for enhanced PU fire safety. Even in the absence of halogen/phosphorus components, this foam exhibits a substantial increase in ignition time (+258.8%) and a significant reduction in total smoke release (-79%). This flame-retardant foam can be easily recycled into high-quality polyol under mild conditions, 60 °C lower than that for the pure foam. Notably, the trace amounts of cesium gathered in recycled polyols stimulate the regenerated PU to undergo self-evolution, improving both flame-retardancy and mechanical properties. Our controllable catalytic cracking strategy paves the way for the self-evolutionary recycling of high-performance firefighting materials.

Assessment of Clayey Soil Properties under the Influence of LDPE Waste

The inherent swelling and shrinking tendencies of clayey soil limit its applicability in subgrade construction. To address this issue and contribute to sustainable development, an experiment was conducted to explore the use of powdered LDPE plastic waste for stabilizing clayey soil. Various proportions of LDPE waste powder were added to the soil, revealing that a 4% LDPE waste powder content significantly increased the soil’s strength. Statistical analysis demonstrated a robust correlation between LDPE powder proportion, maximum dry unit weight, ideal moisture content, and unconfined compressive strength of the soil. Remarkably, the soil sample containing plastic waste outperformed the traditional sample, suggesting that integrating plastic waste with clayey soil is an effective strategy to enhance soil quality while concurrently reducing plastic waste through proper disposal. This study highlights a promising approach for sustainable subgrade construction Sand environmental waste management.

Green Human Resource Management Practises’ Credible IT Employee Behaviour and Environmental Impact in Chennai

Green Human Resource Management (GHRM) is the implementation of Human Resource Management (HRM) policies to encourage the sustainable use of resources inside businesses. Because of increasing awareness and legislation related to sustainability of environment, the idea of GHRM has been proposed in the search for active Environmental Management (EM) inside organisations. GHRM aids in increasing production while reducing costs. It contributes to the reduction of environmental waste by maximizing the use of restored HR items, equipment, and procedures. Its goal is to encourage employee involvement in a work atmosphere that permits the organization to operate in a green way. Currently, almost all types of businesses are taking steps to ensure their long-term viability. However, most businesses’ first goal is to make more money, which is only temporary, therefore businesses must focus on their long-term viability. The main purpose of this work is to investigate how GHRM practices affect the performance of organizations, enhancing sustainability of organizations and elaborate the function of employee and environmental performance as mediators. Data was collected using a survey questionnaire approach from 320 respondents working in an IT organization. In corporate, GHRM is a new trend which is meant to raise awareness about global warming and pollution in organizations. The study reveals that while green HR practices are widely implemented in Chennai, certain practices are not as outstanding. Organizational sustainability was found to be significantly impacted by GHRM activities such development and training, performance assessment, and incentive and compensation. This study also looks at how environmental performance and employee performance can influence the connection between GHRM practices and long-term organizational viability. In order to help businesses, make ecologically responsible decisions, this research provides innovative methods for improving green employment strategy, green staffing, green selection, green development, and green training. More study is required to determine the impact of GHRM practices in the IT sector and to identify sustainability concerns in poorer countries, where GHRM is still a relatively new concept.

Creative Ideas of Sidakan Women Association (PKK) By Returning Used Bottles for Economic Value and Environmental Pollution Reduction

Abstract.In line with the increasing population in KulonProgo Regency, the volume of waste generated also continues to increase, which consists of both domestic and non-domestic waste. For the Sidakan Hamlet of Banaran, Galur District, even though it is located in a rural area, garbage has become a problem. For organic waste that comes from households, if it has been collected, it will be stockpiled. However, glass or plastic bottles that are not easily decomposed have accumulated because the waste bank has not been running since the pandemic. Therefore, as a solution, used waste is reprocessed into an item of economic value. What is no less important is reducing environmental pollution. The problem posed is how to manage waste so that it has economic value, is environmentally friendly, and can be reused. The method of implementing community service is carried out in two stages: the first is counseling regarding waste management, and the second stage is assistance in making goods of economic value from glass and plastic waste. The results of the dedication, attended by the administrators of the Dasa Wisma, show that to overcome environmental pollution, waste processing and management are carried out properly, such as making waste bottles, both plastic and glass, into something useful, including flower vases, containers for kitchen spices, and pastries.

RETROFITTING OUTDATED PYRANOMETER FOR IoT INTEGRATION TOWARDS A CIRCULAR ECONOMY MODEL

An innovative way of applying the circular economy concept in the obsolete research equipment domain is by repairing and upgrading critical subcomponents of the initial equipment, for reuse purposes. Thus, a large percentage of environmental waste is reduced, resulting from the whole process of manufacturing a brand new modern one, along with the implied purchasing costs, while serving its intended purpose simultaneously. The whole re-engineering process produces increased overall cost efficiency, by massively reducing the raw material requirements, the electrical energy consumption for design and manufacture, and the resulting waste material. In this respect, the article addresses the inherent issues in retrofitting an old model analog signal pyranometer, designed in the ‘90s. The upgrade initiative aims to massively increase the digital processing speed, the quality, and the quantity of the data acquisition, while also providing an integrated local storage solution and wireless access through a designated IP address using a web interface, for data interrogation in real-time. All these are done at low costs, with market-available materials, to avoid any high expenses related to acquiring new ones.

Promote the Construction of Zero-Waste Supply Chain and Realize Urban Reduction of Pollution and Carbon Emissions

In the construction of “Zero-waste cities”, developing “Zero-waste supply chain” management has great potential for the application of ecological environment protection and waste pollution prevention from the source. This paper analyzes the role and significance of the “Zero-waste supply chain” management model in promoting the reduction, resourcefulness and harmless disposal of waste at source, and then discusses the barriers to the creation of a “Zero-waste supply chain” in a “Zero-waste city”. . Based on this, it deeply explores the obstacles of carrying out the creation of “Zero-waste supply chain” in “Zero-waste cities”. This paper also puts forward policy recommendations for “Zero-waste supply chain” to help us fight the battle of pollution prevention and control in depth, includes (1) carrying out demonstration pilot projects and evaluating the effectiveness of the “Zero-waste supply chain” to enhance the motivation for “Zerowaste cities” construction; (2) Establishing and improving the standards for creating and evaluating “Zerowaste supply chain”, and building a market-oriented certification system; (3) Gradually incorporating the management of the “Zero-waste supply chain” into the objectives and implementation programmes of the “Zero-waste cities” construction, and improving the safeguard measures.