Waste Minimization Research Articles

A Paradigm Shift towards Environmental Responsibility in Sustainable Green Tourism and Hospitality

The demand for various cultural experiences and easier access to travel has driven the exponential rise of the global tourism and hospitality industries in recent decades. However, the increased tourism has sparked worries about how it would affect the environment which led to a paradigm change in favour of sustainable methods. The phrase "green tourism" describes a collection of behaviors designed to reduce the adverse effects of tourism-related activities on the environment, society, and culture. This entails implementing eco-friendly programs, encouraging conservation, and cultivating community involvement. Similarly, green hospitality emphasizes eco-friendly procedures in lodging establishments, promoting waste minimization, energy efficiency, and ethical sourcing. The carbon footprint of travel is one of the main issues that green tourism and hospitality attempt to address. With the assistance of carbon offset programs and the promotion of environmentally friendly transportation options, like electric vehicles, the sector is coming to understand the significance of lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the implementation of sustainable building designs, energy-efficient technologies, and renewable energy sources in hospitality facilities helps to reduce their overall environmental effect. An additional crucial component of green tourism is water conservation. Water-saving methods, like low-flow fixtures and effective irrigation systems, are being implemented by accommodations to reduce water usage and safeguard nearby ecosystems. Waste management is essential to reaching sustainability targets in the tourism and hospitality industries. There is a growing movement to reduce the use of single-use plastics, encourage recycling, and establish composting techniques. Establishments promote the circular economy and lessen environmental deterioration by encouraging guests to dispose of waste responsibly. The effectiveness of projects aimed at promoting green tourism depends on community involvement. Forming alliances with nearby communities guarantees equitable distribution of economic gains and promotes a sense of collective accountability for environmental preservation. Moreover, maintaining the uniqueness of sites is aided by fostering cultural sensitivity and respect for local knowledge. To sum up, green tourism and hospitality mark a significant turn in the direction of a more responsible and sustainable sector. The tourist and hospitality industry may make a substantial contribution to environmental preservation by implementing eco-friendly practices, reducing carbon footprints, preserving water resources, handling waste responsibly, and interacting with local people.

Introducing a Novel Concept for an Integrated Demolition Waste Recycling Center and the Establishment of a Stakeholder Network: A Case Study from Germany

Using recycled aggregates has many positive environmental impacts because of the conservation of natural resources and minimization of waste. The use of recycled aggregates in downcycling processes is already common in Germany, whereas utilizing them to produce high-quality recycled concrete is rarely applied in practice. The reasons behind this lag have been investigated based on surveys and interviews with stakeholders. Miscommunication and missing information were identified in all stakeholder groups. Therefore, establishing a robust network and facilitating knowledge transfer by specifying the demand for recycled aggregates in the case study region have been considered as prerequisites. Therefore, the paper presents a novel concept of a stakeholder network for an integrated construction and demolition waste center. The conceptualization integrates the recycling companies and construction product manufacturers in one venue with research, service, and educational divisions. The design of the facilities is based on calculations regarding future construction activities and the demand for concrete production. The proposed concept aims to supply the region in the west of Germany with high-quality recycled products while also establishing a robust network that offers benefits in terms of logistical optimization and knowledge transfer.

Greenly synthesised novel microporous ZnO/GO for adsorption of methyl orange and malachite green

ABSTRACT This study presents a greenly synthesised novel nanocomposite composed of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) and Graphene Oxide (GO) for the adsorption of dyes from aqueous solutions. The nanocomposite was synthesised using algae thus representing a green and eco-friendly method, ensuring minimal environmental impact. The physical characterisation of zinc oxide and graphene oxide nanocomposite (ZnO/GO) was done using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Zeta Potential, and Particle Size Analyzer (PSA). The pore diameter of the ZnO/GO was 1.801 nm, and its total surface area was 54.062 m2/g. The nanocomposite’s adsorption performance was systematically investigated through batch adsorption experiments. With an adsorption efficiency of 296.73 mg/g and 259.74 mg/g for MO and MG, the Langmuir isotherm model outperforms the Freundlich isotherm model in terms of adsorption. The pseudo-second-order model having an R2 value of 0.99 for both MO and MG, offers a more convincing explanation of adsorption than the pseudo-first-order model. The results demonstrated rapid adsorption kinetics and high adsorption capacities for both cationic and anionic dyes. Additionally, the ZnO/GO has a high reusability without significant degradation. The sustainable nature of the nanocomposite was emphasised by its efficient dye removal, reusability, and minimal secondary waste generation.

Robust deep learning method for fruit decay detection and plant identification: enhancing food security and quality control

This paper presents a robust deep learning method for fruit decay detection and plant identification. By addressing the limitations of previous studies that primarily focused on model accuracy, our approach aims to provide a more comprehensive solution that considers the challenges of robustness and limited data scenarios. The proposed method achieves exceptional accuracy of 99.93%, surpassing established models. In addition to its exceptional accuracy, the proposed method highlights the significance of robustness and adaptability in limited data scenarios. The proposed model exhibits strong performance even under the challenging conditions, such as intense lighting variations and partial image obstructions. Extensive evaluations demonstrate its robust performance, generalization ability, and minimal misclassifications. The inclusion of Class Activation Maps enhances the model’s capability to identify distinguishing features between fresh and rotten fruits. This research has significant implications for fruit quality control, economic loss reduction, and applications in agriculture, transportation, and scientific research. The proposed method serves as a valuable resource for fruit and plant-related industries. It offers precise adaptation to specific data, customization of the network architecture, and effective training even with limited data. Overall, this research contributes to fruit quality control, economic loss reduction, and waste minimization.

Thiamine Hydrochloride: A Highly Efficient Organo-Catalyst for the One-Pot Synthesis of 2, 4, 5-Triaryl Imidazole Derivatives

Abstract: In this study, we have developed an expeditious and efficient method for the synthesis of 2,4,5–triaryl imidazole derivatives using thiamine hydrochloride as a catalyst. The one-pot, solventfree- multicomponent reaction of an aromatic/heterocyclic aldehyde with benzyl and ammonium acetate at reflux conditions leads to the formation of title compounds in extremely good yields. This protocol offers several features, such as safe, simple, atom efficient, economical, mild conditions, minimum waste, easy work-up procedures, shorter reaction time (40-45 min), catalyst recyclability, etc. The developed methodology is operationally simple and eco-friendly.

Dynamic numerical modeling and performance optimization of solar and wind assisted combined heat and power system coupled with battery storage and sophisticated control framework

Incorporating distributed renewable energy sources into heating, power, and cooling systems is facilitating the drive toward intelligent building energy solutions. However, the inherent uncertainties associated with controllable renewable resources pose challenges for the thermo-economic scheduling of smart buildings. Nonetheless, the flexibility inherent in smart buildings can be leveraged through various market mechanisms. Hence, this research introduces a sustainable energy-building system driven by an autonomous solar/dish Stirling engine (SDSE) and wind turbine combined with a sophisticated control strategy and battery storage, which is designed to provide heat and power requirements. The proposed control strategy is also devised to optimize energy generation, ensuring prudent conservation and minimal waste, thereby amplifying overall efficiency and financial viability. The meticulous design of the system is accomplished through advanced MATLAB/Simulink® modeling. A thorough technical sensitivity analysis meticulously hones design parameters, revealing optimal operational thresholds. Simulation outcomes unveil a consistent Stirling engine (SE) efficiency, achieving a pinnacle of 35 %, while the SDSE attains over 28 %, respectively. The horizontal axis wind turbine, encompassing 100 kW and 500 kW modules, demonstrates power coefficients spanning from 0.18 to 0.09, with corresponding land area requirements ranging from 4.22 m2 to 21.10 m2, emphasizing the pivotal roles of module power and land area optimization. This paper also casts a spotlight on the environmental repercussions of the system, illustrating its potential to avert up to 30,000 kg of CO2 emissions per kWh/year. Moreover, the levelized cost of electricity ranges from 0.13 to 0.16 $/kWh, accompanied by an hourly cost that fluctuates between 3 $/h and 40 $/h, respectively. Conclusively, the developed modeling can be regarded as a significant stride in the realm of hybrid renewable energy systems, replacing the conventional photovoltaic/wind models with cutting-edge solar/wind configurations managed by a sophisticated control strategy and battery storage system.

Synthesis of Pyrano[2,3-d]Pyrimidine Diones Catalyzed by Cobalt-Doped Iron Tartrate Nanomaterial: A Sustainable and Efficient Approach

Synthesis of Pyrano[2,3-d]Pyrimidine Diones Catalyzed by Cobalt-Doped Iron Tartrate Nanomaterial: A Sustainable and Efficient Approach

Valorisation of Raspberry Seeds in Cosmetic Industry-Green Solutions

The fruit processing industry generates large quantities of by-products well known to be rich in bioactive compounds with numerous nutritional properties and beneficial effects for human health. We developed a strategy to valorise raspberry seeds and obtain valuable ingredients with potential application in cosmetic skincare formulas. Cold press extraction technology was applied to extract oil, and the remaining defatted raspberry seed cake was treated with three proline based deep eutectic solvents (DES) to extract polyphenols. The most potent was proline/citric acid extract, with free and total ellagic acid content (52.4 mg/L and 86.4 mg/L), total phenolic content (TPC, 550.1 mg GAE/L) and radical scavenging activity (RSA, 4742.7 mmol TE/L). After the direct mixing of the extract and after encapsulation with starch as a carrier, the skincare emulsion and microemulsion were characterised by irritation potential (Zein test), transepidermal water loss (TEWL), red blood cell (RBC), and DPPH antioxidant test. The resulting preparations were of improved quality in comparison to the control hand cream, with a low skin irritation effect, lower TEWL, and higher antioxidant potential. This work complies with circular economy principles and green technology standards, and represents the efficient model on how to reuse natural resources through waste minimization.

Study on Labor Productivity Improvement Based on Situational Awareness and Improved Value Stream Mapping

This study addresses the issue of poor construction labor productivity, exploring the process and methodology for increasing construction workers’ participation in labor productivity improvement, as well as a situational awareness (SA) development approach for construction workers based on lean construction (LC). A framework for enhancing labor productivity through SA has been developed. A case study approach is utilized to describe the LC improvement process, which includes enhancing construction workers’ SA for waste minimization and process optimization and engaging them in LC with improved value stream mapping (VSM). The labor productivity measurement approach, combined with VSM, is used to evaluate the labor productivity improvement with labor productivity improvement rate, resource efficiency, and flow efficiency. The results demonstrate that the labor productivity of the case project has increased by 24.07%, with 11.54% contributing resource efficiency and 88.46% contributing flow efficiency, indicating a greater increase in flow efficiency. This study fills a research gap in terms of the combination of construction workers’ SA enhancement and the involvement of LC practices to boost labor productivity. Furthermore, this study proposes an SA development approach based on LC at three levels: waste perception, VSM implementation, and labor productivity improvement assessment. This provides new perspectives for leveraging construction workers’ SA to increase labor productivity. The improved VSM approach and labor productivity measurements provide an operationalization of workers’ participation in continuous improvement. This research is of great practical relevance for augmenting the competencies of construction laborers and inspiring them to engage in labor productivity enhancement.

Unlocking the potential of 2D nanomaterials for sustainable intelligent packaging

The demand for high food safety standards, spoilage prevention, and the minimization of food waste has spurred extensive investigation into intelligent food packaging. Within this field, considerable attention has been directed towards two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials owing to their exceptionally thin layered configuration and diverse physicochemical, electrical, optical, and thermal properties. These attributes render 2D nanomaterials highly suitable for enhancing sensing capabilities in intelligent packaging systems. This review delves into the forefront of research concerning the utilization of 2D nanomaterials in intelligent packaging applications. It provides a comprehensive survey of intelligent food packaging concepts and explores various 2D materials, including graphene-based materials, MXene, and silicate clay, investigated for their potential in intelligent packaging systems. Additionally, the review interprets the structure, properties, and utilization of 2D materials in diverse biosensing systems encompassing gas, moisture, pH, and bacteria sensors, indicators, or wireless tags. Moreover, it examines the influence of 2D materials on the mechanical, optical, thermal, barrier, and bioactive properties of smart packaging, while also deliberating on their respective advantages and limitations. By combining these foundational elements, this study offers a distinctive and thorough contribution to the domain of food packaging, laying the groundwork for the future development of sustainable and high-performance packaging materials.

Sustainable Healthcare Quality and Job Satisfaction through Organizational Culture: Approaches and Outcomes

This paper explores innovative strategies to enhance sustainable healthcare quality, emphasizing the pivotal role of organizational culture and placing a special focus on employee job satisfaction. Recognizing the indispensable nature of contented employees in delivering superior patient care, our discussion explores how an organizational culture that prioritizes optimized work processes, and a supportive work environment can significantly boost employee well-being. By mitigating workplace stress through the refinement of operations and the minimization of waste, healthcare organizations can foster a setting that greatly enhances job satisfaction. This enhancement, in turn, catalyzes superior patient care and underscores the healthcare system’s dedication to sustainability and the well-being of its employees. Our analysis indicates that concentrating on employee satisfaction, deeply rooted in the organizational culture, is not merely advantageous but essential for nurturing a sustainable, high-quality healthcare system. The insights offered aim to guide healthcare organizations toward embracing strategies such as Green Lean Six Sigma, with a heightened focus on improving workforce well-being through the lens of organizational culture. This approach is expected to produce a synergistic improvement in healthcare quality by promoting operational efficiency and advancing environmental sustainability in tandem.

From sustainable macro debris chemical recycling to microplastic reclamation: Overview, research challenges, and outlook

The current surge in plastic waste generation from human activities has led to environmental hazards associated with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), from mismanaged polymeric waste and its derived free plastic debris. Chemical recycling enables the effective end-of-life (EoL) of plastic wastes and debris by transforming them into value-added chemicals, reducing their offsite manufacturing's environmental and social risks related to SDG 13 (Climate Action) while mitigating plastic pollution associated with SDG 6, SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). Herein, this work examines the recent research progress, technological advancements, and policy implications on the chemical recycling of plastic waste and derived debris from macro to micro levels and implications for achieving SDGs. We identify three primary research challenges related to plastic pollution mitigation: 1. Understanding the extent of plastic pollution and consequences by sources originating from human activities; 2. Exploring the sustainable material life cycle of plastics with minimum waste generation, free debris exposure and pollution related to SDGs 14 and 15, and carbon emissions aligned with SDG 13; 3. Indicating the necessary local and global efforts to deploy plastic production, use, and waste management as per sustainable plastic life cycle concepts associated with SDG 12 (Responsible Production and Consumption). Future perspective directions lie in mitigating plastic pollution on both the sources identified by plastic waste and derived debris generation from individual human activity and the sinks associated with free debris exposure to natural environments. Reducing plastic use, waste reuse, repurposing, and recycling can fully mitigate these negative externalities but also generate greenhouse gas emissions, which requires decarbonization under climate commitments.

Sustainable use of composted sewage sludge: Metal(loid) leaching behaviour and material suitability for application on degraded soils

Composted sewage sludge was investigated as a promising material for the reclamation or remediation of degraded sites. Using sewage sludge as soil amendment provides environmental benefits and risks while supporting circularity and waste minimisation. This study aims to comprehensively assess the suitability of locally available low-cost sludge treatment for sustainable and environmentally safe topsoil disposal in a brownfield area affected by coal mining. A nine-month composting was conducted before field application to the soil environment. The objectives were to assess: (i) composting time-dependent and pH-dependent metal(loid) leachability from composted sludges, (ii) the effect of sludges on metal(loid) leachability from soil over the first six months, and (iii) metal(loid) plant uptake during the first vegetation season as well as the bioaccumulation and translocation factors. The set of standardised leaching experiments confirmed the positive effect of compost maturity, i.e. despite some fluctuations over time, metal(loid) availability from the final composts was very low. Some metals showed unusual pH-dependent behaviour with the highest leachability at pH 8 due to excessive release of dissolved organic matter from the not-yet-stabilised matrix. Ecotoxicity testing confirmed the safety of the final composts for further soil application. The sludge-amended plots displayed similar metal(loid) leaching and pH evolution in time compared to the control biomass-amended plot. However, plant species (Artemisia vulgaris L.) that formed the natural vegetation cover of the experimental plots showed cumulative metal(loid) uptake. Cadmium and zinc were identified as the critical metals possibly related to the applied sludges, yielding high bioaccumulation and translocation factors. Yet, the quality of the compost feedstock, heterogeneity, and background values of the brownfield site need to be considered. Nevertheless, soil respiration indicated no adverse effects on soil health six months after sludge application. Overall, the composted material demonstrated potential suitability for remediation application in the studied area.

Optimizing waste management for green shipping: industry commitment through participatory processes in Cyprus

Every year, up to 0.3 million tonnes of waste from the European shipping industry is not properly delivered at ports. Most of the waste produced by the shipping industry is plastic waste, putting plastics at the forefront of the shipping industry’s waste management efforts. In an increasingly connected global economy, concerted actions that encourage and incentivise waste minimisation and waste management optimisation are essential for the reduction of marine litter and the achievement of a circular economy within the shipping industry. Cyprus, an important flag state, can take a leadership role towards this direction. This article presents the results of the implementation of the DeCyDe-4-Shipping decision-support participatory method in Cyprus, which allowed effective multi-stakeholder interactions and resulted in the identification of actions for waste minimisation and waste management optimization that are relevant, effective, implementable, and stem from stakeholder consensus. The method resulted in the definition of yearly action plans with prioritized actions and provided the tools through which to monitor the industry’s annual progress. As the shipping industry is dependent on a global supply chain, DeCyDe-4-Shipping could be replicated at a wider geographic scale, starting with Mediterranean ports, to ensure consistent industry progress towards waste minimization and waste management optimization.

PFAS degradation by anodic electrooxidation: Influence of BDD electrode configuration and presence of dissolved organic matter

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pose substantial environmental and human health risks. Electrochemical oxidation technology is a promising large-scale solution for PFAS degradation due to its simplicity and minimal waste generation. This study investigated the electrochemical performance of boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes in degrading PFAS using a recirculation cell with plate and mesh electrodes. The study found that increasing the current density from 6.4 mA/cm2 to 40 mA/cm2 resulted in a transition of the reaction rate from pseudo-first-order toward zero-order kinetics. The stepwise degradation mechanism and the formation of intermediate products were also explored. Carbon and fluorine molar balance analysis revealed that the missing intermediates do not contain fluoride atoms in their molecular formula. The shape and surface of the electrodes had a significant impact on their performance, in particular, improving the degradation of the most recalcitrant perfluorobutanoic acid. The influence of different fractions of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on perfluorohexanoic acid degradation shows that overall, DOM does not significantly inhibit its degradation. Some inhibition was observed in the presence of DOM enriched in carbohydrates, organics that are known to exert strong interaction properties with organic and inorganic surfaces. The synergistic effect of direct anodic oxidation and indirect degradation by reactive radical species enables the decomposition of both DOM and PFAS. Finally, high removal percentages of short (up to 96 %) and long-chain PFAS (up to 99 %) were obtained using BDD electrooxidation cells combining plate and mesh electrodes when treating reverse osmosis concentrate containing PFAS.

Cobalt(III) Halide Metal-Organic Frameworks Drive Catalytic Halogen Exchange.

The selective halogenation of complex (hetero)aromatic systems is a critical yet challenging transformation that is relevant to medicinal chemistry, agriculture, and biomedical imaging. However, current methods are limited by toxic reagents, expensive homogeneous second- and third-row transition metal catalysts, or poor substrate tolerance. Herein, we demonstrate that porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) containing terminal Co(III) halide sites represent a rare and general class of heterogeneous catalysts for the controlled installation of chlorine and fluorine centers into electron-deficient (hetero)aryl bromides using simple metal halide salts. Mechanistic studies support that these halogen exchange (halex) reactions proceed via redox-neutral nucleophilic aromatic substitution (SNAr) at the Co(III) sites. The MOF-based halex catalysts are recyclable, enable green halogenation with minimal waste generation, and facilitate halex in a continuous flow. Our findings represent the first example of SNAr catalysis using MOFs, expanding the lexicon of synthetic transformations enabled by these materials.

Evaluating nano-metal oxide mixed matrix membranes for whey protein separation using hybrid intelligent optimization learning

Ultrafiltration (UF) membranes offer cost-efficient and sustainable techniques for the extraction of whey protein in cheese whey wastewater. This strategy substantially aids in waste minimization and fosters the progression of a circular economy paradigm within the dairy industry. The emerging discipline of machine learning has benefited UF by enhancing the separation performance and deepening the filtration mechanism. In this study, adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems (ANFIS) coupled chemometric learning was implemented for the performance evaluation of whey protein recovery in nano metal oxide embedded mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) UF from whey wastewater. The selected input variables are nano metal oxides concentration (NC), pore radius (S), and contact angle (CA). The targeted responses for the parametric dependency analysis are individual whey protein permeability (lysozyme (PLys), lactalbumin (PLA) and bovine serum albumin (PBSA)) and protein rejection (%) (lysozyme (RLys), lactalbumin (RLA) and bovine serum albumin (RBSA)). The Jarque-Bera indicated that the input variables did not deviate from normality, and S and CA have significantly influenced the whey protein rejection and permeability. ANFIS models demonstrate superior predictive capabilities with minimal error for flux under various transmembrane pressure (TMP) in MMMs due to their inherent gradient descent optimization. Among the proteins, a Pearson correlation coefficient approaching unity denotes a significant positive relationship between lysozyme flux (FLys). The ANFIS models exhibited excellent predictive performance in real-time cheese whey effluent flux and rejection data, achieving a mean square error of 0.0003 for experimental flux. This study provides valuable insights for the development of models tailored to small datasets, offering a foundation for predicting and enhancing membrane performance.

Innovations for sustainable chemical manufacturing and waste minimization through green production practices

Abstract In the current scenario, a green product is designed to have a minimal impact on the environment as it is made from recycled materials. In the highly energy-intensive industry, green production has a significant influence on business sustainability. The intelligent environment around us created an unavoidable problem, because of the uncontrolled growth in waste materials like plastic and electrical trash. Both seriously endanger the environment, wildlife, and human health, trash has an impact on societal structures and financial systems in future generations. Industrial and domestic plastic wastes, which are dumped in landfills or the environment, are mostly made of polyethylene (PE) polymers. These wastes’ polymeric nature makes them difficult for microorganisms to degrade. Incorporating biological and chemical processes together is facilitated by pyrolysis and the biodegradation of alkenes to achieve the maximum biodegradation of PE plastics, as proposed in this study, to reduce plastic waste. This research outcome demonstrates that the Waste plastic recycling plant dataset is taken to show the decomposition of high-density PE plastic to simpler alkene with microbial-assisted degradation of alkene to biomass through bacterial communities. Communities of microbes from three different environments inoculating at three nutrient levels are monitored for their ability to degrade model alkenes (with several carbon atoms) within 5 days. There is Plenty of evidence indicating that the nutritional content significantly influences the rates at which hydrocarbons are broken down. These findings imply that the microorganisms required for alkene breakdown are present in a wide range of ambient microbial communities and are significantly chosen under optimized environments such as nutrient enrichment.

Roadblocks in Integrating Lean Six Sigma and Industry 4.0 in Small and Medium Enterprises

To survive in highly competitive markets, industries focus on enhancing product quality and customer satisfaction. One specific iteration of this approach sees industries striving to optimize processes to improve product quality while generating minimum waste. This has encouraged companies to begin adopting management practices such as lean six sigma (LSS) and kaizen alongside their implementation of digital technologies of automating processing. This study aims to identify and analyze the barriers to integrating LSS practices with Industry 4.0 technologies for small and medium enterprises. Upon shortlisting fifteen barriers from an exhaustive literature review, the Grey-Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) methodology is used to analyze those shortlisted barriers and establish causal relations between barriers and outcomes. The findings identify the lack of available infrastructure, lack of training on LSS, and lack of consultants in the field as the most dominant barriers in the cause group. Furthermore, the influence map of barriers produced demonstrates the relationship between cause-and-effect barriers. This study’s findings will ensure that small and medium enterprises formulate business strategies that mitigate the barriers to integrating LSS with Industry 4.0. This study offers insights into overcoming the identified challenges by proposing strategies to enhance product quality and the accuracy of enterprise decision-making, thereby facilitating a successful integration and fostering sustainable growth in SMEs.

Calculating the Environmental Benefit of Reuse Platforms

AbstractReuse platforms are contributing to the circular economy by hosting or mediating unwanted products or materials until new users are found. This saves products from premature disposal on one hand, and avoids new products purchase on the other. Translating this resource efficiency and waste minimisation into GHG emission avoidance can support the relevance of reuse platforms in fostering a circular economy and promoting climate protection through resource preservation and potential GHG emission reductions. The authors present the analysis of existing reuse methodologies and point out incomplete considerations in terms of LCA modules and Corporate Carbon Footprint of reuse platforms [11]. This paper fills the gap in literature by formulating a holistic methodology for calculating benefits of reuse in terms of GHG emissions for the whole reuse sector and provides an application guide for 4 different types of reuse platforms. This new approach is then illustrated by applying it to a reuse enterprise Zündstoffe Materialvermittlung Dresden (ZUMADD) case study, for which data was gathered for 2 years under Dresden Future City Project (2019–2022). The results show that the project could save 13,301 kg of CO2e emissions through mediating 6,213 kg of material for reuse.