Waste Recycling Research Articles

Urban flooding is a growing concern in many cities around the world; due to the increasing intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, such as heavy rainfall and storms. This study assessed the impact of urban flooding on infrastructure, public health, and the economy in the Landzun corridor of Bida, Niger State. Descriptive research design was employed for the research. The research used data from primary and secondary sources. Primary data were sourced through a structured questionnaire administered to 118 respondents who were randomly selected along the Landzun corridor, a very busy route in Bida. The secondary data were from related literature from journals and textbooks. Business owners accounted for 50.85% of the respondents. A total of 54.23% of the respondents experienced annual flooding. However, the major identified factors aiding flooding in Landzun corridor were poor drainage (62.71%), insufficient drainage facilities (28.81%) and disposal of waste along drainage channels (44.07%). The physical effects of the flooding resulted to collapsed building parts of 42.37% of the respondents and 24.58% had their properties destroyed during flooding. The health effects on the respondents included Malaria fever (36.44%), cholera (32.20%) and mental health (38.98%). 39.83% admitted that the cost of repairs of their damaged properties ranged between ₦101,000 and ₦200,000. As support, 33.05% of the respondents got infrastructural provisions from government. The respondents consequently suggested flood management strategies through community engagement (28.81%), the provision of more drainage facilities (53.40%) and enforcement of urban planning practices through zoning regulations (13.56%). The study concluded that the major causes of flooding were insufficient drainage facilities, dumping of refuse along drainage and indiscriminate siting of buildings on waterways. The study, therefore, recommends stakeholders collaboration to make informed decisions like building indigenous sustainable embarkments along landzun flood plains, flood awareness programmes, enforcement of urban planning regulations, and recycling of waste to reduce the impact of flooding on the Landzun corridor of Bida.

The transition toward a Circular Economy (CE) presents a transformative solution to global sustainability challenges by promoting resource efficiency, waste minimization, and material regeneration. This study explores the pivotal role of chemical engineering in advancing circular practices through innovative waste valorization and resource recovery strategies. Key technologies—including biomass conversion, plastic and electronic waste recycling, and food waste bioprocessing—are analyzed for their capacity to mitigate environmental impacts and close material loops. Chemical engineering principles such as catalysis, separation processes, and process intensification underpin these approaches, enhancing energy efficiency and resource utilization. Integration of digital tools, artificial intelligence (AI), and system optimization further enables real-time process control and sustainability assessment. However, widespread CE implementation faces barriers including technological limitations, high capital costs, and fragmented regulations. Overcoming these challenges requires interdisciplinary collaboration among industry, academia, and policymakers to develop scalable, cost-effective solutions. The study emphasizes the importance of next-generation catalysts, bio-based processing, and data-driven systems in achieving a resilient, low-waste industrial future. By bridging science, technology, and policy, chemical engineering can catalyze the global transition to a sustainable and circular economy.

Although desert areas make up the majority of Libya's land area, their use for urban development has been limited due to the challenging building conditions. A detailed study of the engineering characteristics of desert soils is necessary to allow for the sustainable utilization of this area. Although sandy soils have good load-bearing qualities, as the groundwater table rises to levels close to the foundation, their shear strength and overall stability may quickly decrease, requiring soil treatment before construction. One promising soil stabilization technique involves the utilization of recycled concrete waste (RCW), generated from the demolition of aging or damaged structures. Given the substantial increase in construction and demolition waste in Libya in recent years, incorporating such materials into geotechnical applications not only enhances soil performance but also contributes to environmental protection. This study presents a laboratory-based investigation into the influence of varying moisture content on the shear strength and its factors of natural sandy soil, as well as on soil treated with different percentages of (RCW) 0%, 3% and 6% of soil weight. Soil samples were collected from Kufra city in southeastern Libya. A comprehensive series of tests was conducted to determine the physical and mechanical properties of both untreated and treated soils. The results show that reusing construction waste as an efficient soil amendment significantly enhances the shear strength factors of sand at an addition ratio of 3% and 6% in both dry and wet cases, hence supporting sustainable construction practices in arid locations. Also, this addresses environmental issues and improves foundation performance.

Blood metal(loid)s, haemoglobin and goitre in pregnant women from the mercury-exposed and non-exposed environment (Aidarken area vs Kara-Suu area; Kyrgyz Republic).

Recycling of silicon powder waste and enhancing their purity by the hydrofluoric acid-based leaching process for photovoltaic applications

Chemical recycling of refrigerator plastic waste by pyrolysis: Yields, product composition, and potential applications

Strategic network design for the chemical recycling of polyurethane rigid foam waste in Germany

Interfacial bonding strengthening mechanisms in recycled GFRP waste fibers-ultra high performance concrete through synergistic nano-silica/silane

Effects of curing methods on microstructure, mechanical properties, and heavy metal immobilization in non-sintered MSWIFA-based lightweight aggregates.

Sustainable strategies for marine plastic waste remanufacturing systems under diverse carbon reduction policies.

Green extraction of polyphenol compound from walnut green husk by microwave-assisted choline chloride-based deep eutectic solvents: identification, kinetic, comparison and bioactivity.

Picture fuzzy geometric Heronian mean operator based novel ranking method for optimal plastic waste recycling technology selection

RTDRNet-lite: A lightweight real-time detection framework for robotic waste sorting.

Investigating polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) in Asia Pacific regions: A review of sources, occurrences and health impacts.

Recycling waste walnut shells as a sustainable internal curing material for ultra-high performance concrete matrix

Recycling waste plastics and biowaste into high-performance NiCo-MOF/activated carbon electrocatalyst for overall water splitting

Subgrade soils form the foundation of pavement structures, and their mechanical properties play a crucial role in ensuring pavement durability and performance. Weak soils often result in deformation, low load-carrying capacity, and premature failure of pavements. Traditional stabilization methods, such as lime, cement, and fly ash, have limitations related to cost, carbon footprint, and sustainability. With the increasing accumulation of polymeric waste, researchers are exploring the use of recycled plastic materials (PET, PE, PP) as a sustainable soil stabilizer. This review critically examines 20 previous research studies on geotechnical enhancement of subgrade soils using polymeric waste. The analysis highlights improvements in strength, CBR, compaction, permeability, and resilient modulus, while identifying key limitations in current research. The study emphasizes the research gaps and proposes directions for future investigations to optimize polymer use for sustainable and durable subgrade soil improvement.

Food waste in U.S. public school cafeterias remains a pressing concern, largely influenced by student behaviour and often overlooked due to insufficient care from students toward recycling efforts. This paper presents a real-world case study applying the Ethics of Care theory to design practice, exploring and evaluating caring motivations by developing and implementing a care-centred design intervention among youth in school cafeterias. Through participatory design methods, the study demonstrates how engaging the school community in selecting and developing designs that incorporate care factors can positively influence students’ attitudes toward food waste recycling. The findings suggest that care-embedded design interventions increased students’ awareness, competence, and emotional investment in recycling. This research makes an original contribution to the field of recycling behaviour by identifying motivational factors and evaluating them through the lens of care.

Waste recycling has gained significant attention as a sustainable practice in industrial sectors, including Punjab’s spinning industry. However, the level of organizational commitment to recycling varies due to multiple influencing factors. This study examines the key determinants of recycling commitment, focusing on leadership involvement, workforce engagement, financial constraints, and regulatory enforcement. The primary objective of this study is to assess the extent of organizational commitment to waste recycling and identify the factors that facilitate or hinder recycling initiatives in Punjab’s spinning industry. A mixed-methods research approach was employed, combining quantitative survey data from industry professionals with qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews. Regression analysis and ANOVA tests were used to determine the impact of leadership commitment, workforce engagement, and financial constraints on recycling practices. The qualitative data were analyzed thematically to uncover deeper organizational perspectives. Quantitative analysis reveals a moderate level of organizational commitment to recycling, with leadership and workforce engagement emerging as strong predictors of recycling initiatives. Financial constraints negatively influence commitment, limiting the sustainability of recycling programs. ANOVA results show significant variations in commitment across job roles, with managers displaying higher engagement levels. Qualitative findings reinforce these results, highlighting inconsistent policy enforcement, motivational gaps among employees, and regulatory shortcomings. The study underscores the critical role of leadership, workforce participation, and supportive policies in fostering a strong recycling culture. Addressing financial constraints through incentives and policy enhancements can further improve sustainability efforts. Future research should explore tailored strategies to enhance recycling commitment across different industrial sectors.

ABSTRACT Aquaponic systems are emerging as sustainable agricultural solutions that conserve water and recycle waste, enabling food cultivation in urban, rural, and arid regions. They are increasingly advocated across diverse contexts, yet adoption remains limited due to concerns about economic viability stemming from huge capital investment and low profitability. In this study, we employed a metadata analysis to assess the influence of climate zones and system configurations on the profitability of soilless systems. Our findings informed the development of a data‐based support tool—APECO—presented as a prototype that uses compiled metadata. Productivity in tropical climates (Aw and Am) was associated with lower energy and labor costs, which corresponded with comparatively better outcomes than temperate regions in terms of breakeven price, net return, and payback periods. However, these patterns should be interpreted with caution due to dataset imbalance, as approximately one‐third of studies were conducted in the Aw climate zone, while data from other zones were sparse. Profitability also appeared to vary between configurations, but the observed divergence between coupled (revenue‐linked) and decoupled (cost‐linked) aquaponics should be regarded as preliminary, given that only 9% of the dataset represented decoupled systems. Plant revenue and fish yield were most strongly associated with net returns across climates, suggesting that context‐specific productivity gains may play an essential role in shaping profitability. We introduced APECO as a proof‐of‐concept calculator designed to integrate system‐specific metadata with user inputs; however, as it has not yet been validated with real‐world data, its use should be regarded as illustrative, pending empirical validation.