Waste Items Research Articles

Conceptual design and simulation study of an autonomous indoor medical waste collection robot

Solid waste management is one of the critical challenges seen everywhere, and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has only worsened the problems in the safe disposal of infectious waste. This paper outlines a design for a mobile robot that will intelligently identify, grasp, and collect a group of medical waste items using a six-degree of freedom (DoF) arm, You Only Look Once (YOLO) neural network, and a grasping algorithm. Various designs are generated before running simulations on the selected virtual model using Robot Operating System (ROS) and Gazebo simulator. A lidar sensor is also used to map the robot's surroundings and navigate autonomously. The robot has good scope for waste collection in medical facilities, where it can help create a safer environment.

Mitigating potential public health risks and challenges from hazardous materials contained in electronic waste items in a developing country setting.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Targets 12.4 and 3.9 aim to reduce deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and to achieve environmentally friendly management of chemical and wastes. Electronic wastes, which contain hazardous chemicals, are rapidly generated in poor countries due to demand for affordable near-end-of-life internet-enabled gadgets that soon wear out and are improperly disposed due to ignorance, throw-away mentality and dearth of waste management infrastructure. This study identified hazardous chemicals contained in significant quantities in e-waste items, described their public health challenges and suggested mitigation measures. Results showed that mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), cadmium, lead and beryllium oxide were hazardous chemicals contained in significant quantities in e-waste items. The study recommended the formulation of appropriate environmental health education technology policy (AEHETP) to guide stakeholders to design education, preventive, therapeutic and decontamination plans for awareness creation and raising to address the toxic effects of e-waste items on users in poor countries.

Toxic effect of cigarette butts leachates on blood markers of Periophthalmus waltoni species from the Persian Gulf region

Cigarette butts (CBs) are one of the most common, long-lasting, and toxic forms of marine and coastal area debris. Although the significance of CBs and the toxic contents of this waste items are well recognized, but there is still a lack of information about the effects of this waste on the aquatic organisms. Therefore in this study, the in-vivo toxic effects of various CBs leachates (smoked cigarette butts with tobacco [SCBs], smoked CBs without tobacco [SFs], and unsmoked filters [USFs]) on cellular and chemical hematologic markers in fish (Periophthalmus waltoni) were evaluated. In three acute, sub-acute, and sub-chronic exposure measurements, P. waltoni exposed to different CBs leachates showed a significant increase in white blood cells, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase, and aspartate transaminase, as well as a decrease in hemoglobin (Hb) levels. The mean ± SD values of Hb in P. waltoni species exposed to different CBs leachates (control, SCBs, SFs and USFs) in acute (1 day) phase were 7.15 ± 0.34, 6.02 ± 0.29, 6.25 ± 0.25 and 6.89 ± 0.1 g/dl respectively. These values in subacute (28 days) phase were 6.70 ± 0.15, 5.19 ± 0.24, 5.67 ± 0.30 and 6.10 ± 0.24 g/dl and in sub chronic exposure (42 days) phase were 7.20 ± 0.40, 5.16 ± 0.30, 5.88 ± 0.34 and 6.60 ± 0.33 g/dl respectively. Our results showed that CBs leachates act as a stressor, leading to changes in some hematologic markers in P. waltoni species. Because of the continued deposition of CBs waste into global aquatic environments, policies to mitigate this waste in coastal areas are needed to prevent potentially negative effects on fish and other aquatic organisms.

Identifying Potential Household Waste as Secondary Raw Materials in the Construction Industry: A Case Study of Sri Lanka

Abstract The construction sector contributes significantly to waste generation and resource depletion. Identifying potential household waste for reuse and recycling as secondary raw materials has emerged as a key technique for addressing these environmental concerns. This study uses the Colombo municipality in Sri Lanka to identify and evaluate household waste products having the potential to be reused as secondary raw materials in the construction sector. The study employs a mixed method for data collection and analysis. First, a questionnaire survey of industry experts was conducted to identify and assess the requirements for household waste that may be utilized in the construction sector, followed by a complete literature analysis to determine the reuse applications of potential household waste. The findings of this study will be useful in identifying and evaluating household waste items that may be recycled as secondary raw materials in the construction sector. It would also help to establish sustainable waste management techniques and circular economy practices in Sri Lanka. The study’s findings can help policymakers, waste management authorities, and stakeholders in the construction industry to implement effective waste management practices and promote the use of recycled materials in construction projects, reducing environmental impact and conserving natural resources.

Plastic waste in surface waters of an urban estuary

Context Plastic pollution is a threat to ecosystems and is a global problem. Aims We evaluated the spatio-temporal degradation stage of plastic waste found in surface waters (<1 m) of the Capibaribe River estuary. Methods The analysed waste items were sampled in three distinct areas within the estuary, namely, upper, middle and lower regions. Key results In total, 381 items of debris were classified as macroplastics (≤25 mm), with soft fragments (83.9%) and hard fragments (4.9%) being predominant. Advanced degradation stage occurred throughout the estuary (90.5%). A concentration of 1757 microplastics (<2.2 mm) was found predominant in the upper and middle regions. Soft fragments corresponded to the most abundant type (69%). Conclusion In the middle estuary, a plastic hotspot was observed, caused by the flood tide flow, river flow and the flow of a tributary, forming a convergence cell that helps retain plastic debris for long periods. Implications Identifying the origin, sources and how the hydrodynamic characteristics influence the distribution of plastic debris along the estuary is relevant because it will help decision-makers to develop municipal and state action plans for the recovery of this ecosystem.

Anthropogenic litter on the macrotidal sandy beaches of the Amazon region.

Coastal zones, which are strategic points of considerable importance to the tourism industry, are among the environments most affected by anthropogenic debris. Thus, it is crucial to monitor and implement management programs to provide immediate solutions. Here, we aimed to evaluate anthropogenic litter along 21 macrotidal sandy beaches in the Amazon region. Indices and multivariate statistical analyses were used to identify spatial patterns of pollution, as well as sources and lifetime of the items. A total of 20,286 items were collected, with an average density of 0.19 items/m2 and a predominance of plastics. Litter was associated with tourist and recreational activities. The lifetime of most items was <1year. All beaches had intermediate levels of pollution. The analyses identified varying patterns of anthropogenic litter related to the cleaning frequency and waste item typologies. In conclusion, pollution of macrotidal beaches in the Amazon region is an emerging problem that requires measures to prevent and mitigate the impacts on this ecosystem and to reconsider the form of production and consumption of plastic waste.

Reducing plastic waste: A meta-analysis of influences on behaviour and interventions

Eliminating plastic waste relies, in part, on changing human behaviour. This review aimed to (a) use the AACTT (Action-Actor-Context-Target-Time) framework to identify and categorise relevant behaviours, (b) use the COM-B (Capability-Opportunity-Motivation-Behaviour) model to identify, categorise and evaluate variables that might be associated with these behaviours, (c) use the Behaviour Change Wheel and the Behaviour Change Techniques Taxonomy to identify, categorise and evaluate the nature of interventions. A systematic literature search identified 60 studies of behaviour relating to plastic waste. Meta-analysis was used to quantify (i) the strength and direction of the relationship between variables and behaviour and (ii) the impact of intervention components on changes in behaviour. Studies focused predominantly on the general public (actors), recycling (action), shopping (context), and a limited range of plastic waste items. Variables reflecting capability, opportunity, and motivation all had medium-strength associations with behaviour. The intervention types associated with the strongest changes in behaviour were ‘persuasion’, ‘enablement’ and ‘environmental restructuring’. The policy options associated with strongest changes in behaviour were ‘communications and marketing’, ‘environmental and social planning’ and ‘service provision’. Interventions targeting ‘psychological capability’ had a negative effect on plastic waste reducing behaviours while interventions targeting ‘physical opportunity’ and ‘reflective motivation’ had the strongest positive effects. All identified behaviour change techniques had medium to large effects on changes in behaviour. Taken together, the findings provide clear directions for future research and efforts to reduce plastic waste.

How to map industrial waste metabolism at a geographical level? A proposal for a composite indicator

Waste overproduction is a relevant issue in industrialised countries. Most empirical analyses investigate the problem using household consumption and urban waste generation data to identify behavioural patterns for policy design. However, industrial production and its geographical distribution significantly contribute to territorial waste generation and require specific treatments affecting waste metabolism. This paper focuses on the supply-side of waste production in three regions, namely Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto, which are considered to be the industrial core of Italy. To further refine the analysis, we use a sub-regional territorial unit, the local labour market area (LLMA), which depicts the local configuration of waste production and treatment and supports estimating the territorial capacity to absorb and treat industrial waste. Combining data on industrial waste production and treatment to the socio-economic features of LLMA over the period 2015–2017, a composite indicator proxying the main waste metabolism constraints is proposed, considering three main dimensions: waste items’ hazardousness and quantities, their main treatment in terms of disposal or recovery, and the physical distance travelled from the manufacturing site to the waste treatment plant. Once spatialized, the obtained index provides a geographical representation of waste-based territorial weaknesses. Results show that the density of manufacturing plants, the type of industrial specialisations, and the technological characteristics of such specialisations are the primary sources of constraints to industrial waste metabolism. Overall, the paper contributes to the field by offering an original tool to assess local production systems' main sources of industrial waste vulnerability. Accordingly, the use of the index can support place-based waste policies to improve manufacturing clusters' ecological transition.

Modelling the global economic costs of tobacco product waste.

Tobacco smoking continues to cause considerable premature mortality and morbidity worldwide. Most of the approximately six trillion cigarettes sold globally each year are discarded improperly as toxic environmental waste. Tobacco product waste, including cigarette butts, is the most commonly collected waste item worldwide. Of particular concern is the cellulose acetate filter, a poorly degradable plastic additive attached to most commercially manufactured cigarettes. This filter was introduced by the tobacco industry to reduce smokers’ perception of harm and risk but it has no health benefit. To inform health policy and practice and improve public health outcomes, governments and society can benefit from cost estimates of preventing, properly disposing of and/or cleaning up tobacco product waste. Estimating the costs of tobacco product waste to communities and responsible authorities could encourage the development of health, environmental and fiscal policy interventions and shift accountability for the costs of tobacco product waste onto the global tobacco industry. To support health and environmental policy-making, we therefore propose an empirical approach to estimate the economic costs of tobacco product waste based on its negative environmental externalities. We first present general estimates for six representative countries and then identify data gaps that need to be addressed to develop global estimates. Interventions against tobacco product waste may be new channels to regulate tobacco products across sectors – for example, health, environment and finance – and consequently reduce overall tobacco use.

An Assessment of the Variability of Household Income on Volume of Waste Materials Generated in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria

Income variability plays a determinant factor in the volume of waste materials generated. The research examined the variability of household income on the volume of waste materials generated by residents in Benin City. The objective of the study was to examine the variabilities of household income on the volume of solid waste generated in the study area. Primary data were obtained from 25 selected communities which comprise 110 settlements from the 3 Local Government areas that constitute Benin City. A total of 1,781 copies of questionnaires were administered in the 768 pollen unit stations and 192,250 numbers of registered voters were used for this study. Systematic sampling techniques from the selected streets and houses were used for the study. In each of the selected streets 2nd, middle and 2nd to the last households were administered questionnaires. Secondary data were sourced from published and documentary materials. The 2-way ANOVA statistical techniques were used for the study. On examinations, the results revealed that income variabilities, number of persons per household and economic determinants have positive impacts on the volumes of waste materials generated. High-income earners consumed more packaged products and by implication generate a huge volume of waste items and vice versa. The correlation analysis between monthly income and waste materials generation revealed that a 99% level of significance and relationship exists between monthly income and waste materials generation (r = 0.82). The Sum of Squares and Mean squares between Groups and Within Groups were 3.606 and 1.802 for the former and 3237.861 and 1.994 for the latter respectively. Furthermore, since the P-values are less than 0.5 level of significance, there was no significant variation (0.000) in the variability in household income and volume of waste materials generated among residents of the study area.

A Critical Analysis of Indigenous Systems and Practices of Solid Waste Management in Rural Communities: The Case of Maseru in Lesotho.

The aims of this study were to understand and to do a critical analysis of the different indigenous systems and practices of waste management to inform waste management policy development in Lesotho. To achieve these aims, the objective was to assess community perceptions of the impact of the indigenous systems and practices of solid waste management on the environment and human wellbeing. A simple random sampling method was employed. The primary data were collected through observations and survey questionnaires that were distributed among the communities in the study areas. The sample size was 693 participants from a total estimated population of 6917 in May 2021 in the Matsieng, Koro-Koro and Rothe constituencies. The data were analysed quantitatively by using the International Business Management Statistical Package for Social Science version 25.0. The descriptive method was used to interpret the results. For validity, the interview questions were set towards answering the study research questions. For reliability, open- and close-ended questions were designed. The research clearly indicated that indigenous systems and practices are culturally accepted in areas lacking formal waste collection services by the local authorities. The tradition, culture, values, and belief of the communities play a major role in the systems and practices implemented. Although some people convert waste items into useful products, the practices of general disposal were often unsafe from the human wellbeing and environmental perspectives. In Lesotho, a lack of awareness about conservation and sustainable use of natural resources could be attributed to flawed education at the grassroots level in schools.

Use of Concrete Waste from Industries as an Alternative Material for the Permeable Concrete Production

Every year, tons of demolished concrete waste items dump into the environment from the construction industry. With this process, a massive environmental pollution occurs. Therefore, in this research, the main aim is to find a solution for this environmental pollution by recycling this waste products. The main objective is to recycle these concrete waste materials from industries to use as an alternative material for the production of permeable concrete by maintaining the recommended compressive strength and the recommended permeability. Permeable concrete can be used for the concreting of floor areas like car parks. It provides environmentally friendly way to drain storm water without flooding. For this research, cement to aggregate ratio was used 1:5 and 14mm to 20mm size natural coarse aggregate and concrete waste were used. The control sample was prepared using 100% aggregate. With total amount of aggregate weight 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% amounts were replaced with the waste concrete after preparing 14mm to 20mm size samples. The slump test, compressive strength test and the permeability tests were conducted. According the results of the 28 days compressive strength test, the control sample was obtained 7.423MPa strength but neither of any other sample could not reached this strength. However, the sample which replaced with the 10% of waste concrete with 90% natural coarse aggregate has obtained 88.683% strength compared to the control sample. According to the permeability results it shows that there will not have a great impact by using concrete waste as an alternative material in permeable concrete production. The results were varied between 15.8L/m2/s to 15.08L/m2/s.

Smart Waste Management and Classification Systems Using Cutting Edge Approach

With a rapid increase in population, many problems arise in relation to waste dumps. These emits hazardous gases, which have negative effects on human health. The main issue is the domestic solid waste collection, management, and classification. According to studies, in America, nearly 75% of waste can be recycled, but there is a lack of a proper real-time waste-segregating mechanism, due to which only 30% of waste is being recycled at present. To maintain a clean and green environment, we need a smart waste management and classification system. To tackle the above-highlighted issue, we propose a real-time smart waste management and classification mechanism using a cutting-edge approach (SWMACM-CA). It uses the Internet of Things (IoT), deep learning (DL), and cutting-edge techniques to classify and segregate waste items in a dump area. Moreover, we propose a waste grid segmentation mechanism, which maps the pile at the waste yard into grid-like segments. A camera captures the waste yard image and sends it to an edge node to create a waste grid. The grid cell image segments act as a test image for trained deep learning, which can make a particular waste item prediction. The deep-learning algorithm used for this specific project is Visual Geometry Group with 16 layers (VGG16). The model is trained on a cloud server deployed at the edge node to minimize overall latency. By adopting hybrid and decentralized computing models, we can reduce the delay factor and efficiently use computational resources. The overall accuracy of the trained algorithm is over 90%, which is quite effective. Therefore, our proposed (SWMACM-CA) system provides more accurate results than existing state-of-the-art solutions, which is the core objective of this work.

Performance Characterisation of a New Plaster Composite Lightened with End-of-Life Tyres' Recycled Materials for False Ceiling Plates.

Plaster is one of the most used and studied materials in the building process. This paper shows the result of the characterisation of a new plaster-based material enlightened and reinforced with polymers and end-of-life tyres’ recycled materials. As far as end-of-life tyres are a common waste item, this paper offers new recycling possibilities, as well as significant improvements in new building materials. Mechanical, thermal conductivity, sound absorption, fire reaction and environmental impact are studied and analysed. Three different end-of-life tyres’ recycled materials are used, two size rubber and textile fibres. A significant density reduction up to 17% was achieved mainly due to end-of-life materials lower density. Two thermal conductivity measurement methods, heat flux meter and guarded hot plate, were conducted and then compared. A 20% improvement with respect to the reference was achieved in those samples with textile fibre. The two methods’ measurements got a 1% difference in all samples analysed except textile fibre. Thus, this allowed to validate these methods and assure these measurements. Sound absorption was also measured. These materials reached α = 0.32 in high frequencies. Performance in low frequencies were lower. Fire tests led to no ignition results and no fire propagation. Finally, a basic global warming potential impact study based on environmental product declaration (EPD) is conducted. The most relevant result of this study is the potential 20–34% reduction of CO2 emissions with the elaboration of these composites.

Sustainable Valorization of Four Types of Fruit Peel Waste for Biogas Recovery and Use of Digestate for Radish (Raphanus sativus L. cv. Pusa Himani) Cultivation

Food waste has become a challenging global issue due to its inefficient management, particularly in low and middle-income countries. Among food waste items, fruit peel waste (FPW) is generated in enormous quantities, especially from juice vendors, resulting in arduous tasks for waste management personnel and authorities. However, considering the nutrient and digestible content of organic wastes, in this study four types of FPW (pineapple: PA; sweet lemon: SL; kinnow: KN; and pomegranate: PG) were investigated for their potential use within biogas production, using conventional and electro-assisted anaerobic reactors (CAR and EAR). In addition, the FPW digestate obtained after the biogas production experiments was considered as a soil bio-fertilizer under radish (Raphanussativus L. cv. Pusa Himani) cultivation. In the results, all four types of FPW had digestible organic fractions, as revealed from physicochemical and proximate analysis. However, PA-based FPW yielded the maximum biogas (1422.76 ± 3.10 mL/62.21 ± 0.13% CH4) using the EAR system, compared to all other FPW. Overall, the decreasing order of biogas yield obtained from FPW was observed as PA &gt; PG &gt; SL &gt; KN. The kinetic analysis of the biogas production process showed that the modified Gompertz model best fitted in terms of coefficient of determination (R2 &gt; 0.99) to predict cumulative biogas production (y), lag phase (λ), and specific biogas production rate (µm). Moreover, fertilizer application of spent FPW digestate obtained after biogas production significantly improved the arable soil properties (p &lt; 0.05). Further, KN-based FPW digestate mixing showed maximum improvement in radish plant height (36.50 ± 0.82 cm), plant spread (70.80 ± 3.79 cm2), number of leaves (16.12 ± 0.05), fresh weight of leaves (158.08 ± 2.85 g/plant), fruit yield (140.10 ± 2.13 g/plant), and fruit length (25.05 ± 0.15 cm). Thus, this study suggests an efficient method of FPW management through biogas and crop production.

Aromatic amines contents of cigarette butts: Fresh and aged cigarette butts vs unsmoked cigarette.

Cigarette butts (CBs) are some of the most abundant waste items in the environment and may contain high levels of different toxic chemicals, such as aromatic amines (AAs). However, to this date, there is no comprehensive study on the role of CBs in the emission of AAs into the environment. The present study investigated for the first time the concentration levels of 10 primary aromatic amines (PAAs), including ANL, p-TOL, m-TOL, o-TOL, 2,6-DMA, o-ASD, 2-NA, 1-NA, 3-ABP, and 4-ABP that were measured and compared in unsmoked cigarette, freshly smoked CBs, and CBs collected from urban streets (named here aged CBs). The mean levels of ∑PAAs in different sample categories were statistically significantly different and the mean level order was as freshly smoked CBs>aged CBs>unsmoked cigarette with the values of 3.43, 2.12μgg-1, and 0.28μgg-1, respectively. The levels of ∑PAAs, ANL, o-ASD, 2,6-DMA, 2-NA, and ∑TOL dramatically increased by 12.26, 4.05, 8.46, 10.41, 4.78, and 28.84 times, respectively, right after smoking comparing the freshly smoked CBs samples and unsmoked cigarette. The results also showed a substantial decrease in the levels of PAAs (except o-ASD) in the aged CBs samples compared to freshly smoked CBs. The levels of ∑PAAs, o-ASD, 2,6-DMA, ∑TOL, ANL, 2-NA, 1-NA, and ∑ABP decreased 1.62, 1.09, 1.91, 3.20, 3.42, 2.63, 2.00, and 1.88 times, respectively. Considering the average PAAS content and estimated CBs littered worldwide every year, freshly smoked CBs can theoretically emit 2.9 tons of ∑PAAs into the environment annually. Considering other chemicals that may also be released into the environment via CBs (beside PAAs), we can consider CBs as a critical source of toxic compounds into the environment and water bodies.

ÜNİVERSİTELERDE YEŞİL YÖNETİM ÜZERİNE BİR ARAŞTIRMA

Araştırmanın amacı, 2019 ve 2020 yıllarında GreenMetric sıralamasına giren ilk beş üniversiteyle Türkiye’den bu sıralamaya girebilen ilk beş üniversiteyi yeşil yönetim çalışmaları bağlamında analiz etmek ve iki grubu birbiriyle karşılaştırmaktır. Araştırmanın ilk aşamasında örneklemi oluşturan üniversitelerin web sayfaları ve faaliyet raporları incelenmiştir. İkinci aşamada GreenMetric kriterlerine göre üniversitelerin yerleşim ve altyapı, enerji ve iklim değişikliği, atık, su, taşımacılık, eğitim ve araştırma uygulamalarından aldıkları puanların 2019 ve 2020 yılları içindeki değişimi izlenmiş, üniversiteler arası karşılaştırmalar puanlara göre yapılmıştır. 2019-2020 GreenMetric sıralamasında ilk beşte yer alan üniversitelerle Türkiye’den GreenMetric’e giren ilk beş üniversitenin çabaları birbirine benzer olmakla beraber listenin ilk sıralarında yer alan üniversitelerin iç ve dış paydaşlarıyla entegrasyonunun Türk üniversitelerine göre nispeten daha fazla olduğu görülmüştür. GreenMetric alt boyutları açısından ise Türk üniversiteleri, su, taşımacılık ve eğitim-araştırma alanlarında listenin ilk sıralarında yer alan üniversitelerin bir kısmından nispeten daha iyi puan alırken, yerleşim ve alt yapı, enerji ve iklim değişikliği ve atık kalemlerinde ilk beşteki üniversitelere göre çok büyük puan farklarıyla geride kalmıştır.

P12 Sustainability: staff knowledge of which items of waste can be recycled in the orthopaedic operating theatre

Abstract Introduction NHS England generates over 20 million tonnes of CO2 per year, representing 4% of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions. One third of all hospital waste comes from operating theatres. Our aim was to investigate the degree of knowledge of sustainable waste segregation amongst theatre staff in an elective orthopaedic centre and identify ways to improve their waste segregation practice. Methods Over a one-week period, 20 randomly selected theatre staff of different roles, completed a questionnaire asking them which disposal bin 11 commonly used orthopaedic theatre items should be placed in – general waste or recycling. After initial data collection, posters specifically identifying recyclable items were created and displayed in each operating theatre. Following this intervention, data was re-collected from another 20 randomly selected theatre staff using the same questionnaire. Results Results from the initial questionnaire showed general waste and recyclable items were correctly identified by staff in 65% (78/120 responses) and 59% (59/100 responses), respectively. Following the educational intervention, the percentage of correct responses increased to 68.3% (82/120 responses) and 85% (85/100 responses); i.e. staff knowledge of what can go into a recycling bin improved by 36%. Conclusion Educating staff by placing posters in the operating theatre can improve knowledge of what orthopaedic theatre items can be recycled and is a simple and effective way of producing sustainable change in surgery. Guiding and empowering individuals to exercise sustainable practice in the operating theatre will help the NHS to overcome the significant challenge of achieving net zero carbon by 2045. Take-home message Educating staff by placing posters in the operating theatre is a simple and effective way of improving waste segregation practice and will help the health service to overcome the significant challenge of achieving net zero carbon.

ARCHITECTURAL UPCYCLING: BUILDINGS FROM WASTE &amp; UNCONVENTIONAL MATERIALS

Repurposing building materials has been practised since old civilisations, but recently, it has transcended to utilising not only building materials but to general waste items not typically used in construction. The practice is coined as architectural upcycling. Due to its unconventional nature, several drawbacks exist: the challenge of appropriating the item for its architectural purpose, the limitation on the type of buildings it can be applied to, and the scarcity of research that establishes a guide on architectural upcycling. This research aims to provide an insight on how to achieve the excellent practice of architectural upcycling through design considerations based on the type of buildings fit for this practice. The design considerations are outlined from reviewing previous studies, and the types of small-scale structures typically suitable are identified. Sixteen case studies are chosen from four small-scale typologies: community buildings, single residences, lodgings, and pavilions. Variables observed are the role of the material, functionality, modification, ability to be disassembled, and material expression. It is found that the buildings from the four typologies exhibit different approaches to addressing these considerations. The findings serve to guide designers in achieving successful upcycling practice based on the typologies studied.

"Deep Learning-based Classification of Materials into Biodegradable and Non-Biodegradable"

The collection of real-time data from people, their cars, public transit, buildings, and other urban infrastructures like the energy grid and waste management systems are at the heart of the smart city concept. The insights gathered from the data may be used by municipal authorities to manage resources and services efficiently. An important study topic at the same time is the sharp increase in environmental degradation and deterioration that causes ecological imbalance. Additionally, the development of advanced waste management systems that can categorize rubbish according to its level of biodegradability is required for the worldwide expansion of smart cities. Some of the more common ones are paper, paper boxes, food, glass, and other garbage. A costeffective technique to separate the waste from the enormous mountain of trash and garbage and classify the waste items is to use computer vision-based technologies. Recent developments in deep learning (DL) and deep reinforcement learning (DRL) have made it possible to categorize waste objects and identify and detect trash. In this sense, the research creates an intelligence model for smart cities. The technique's goal is to recognize and classify rubbish objects using the DL and DRL approaches. The two steps of the SYSTEM technique are objected classification based on DRL and object detection based on Mask Regional Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)… The CNN model uses the DenseNet model as a baseline model, and a deep learning network (DLN) is employed as the classifier. A based hyperparameter optimizer is also created to boost the efficiency of the DenseNet model.