Waste Recycling System Research Articles

Municipal solid waste management in China: a comparative analysis

This paper illustrates an overview of the past and present MSWM strategies in China. A comparison is made with MSWM in China, and other developed and developing countries to identify and analyze the problems of existing MSWM, and evaluate some effective suggestion to overcome the limitations. Rapid urbanization and economic growth are the main factors of increasing MSW generation in China. The generating MSW has 55.86 % food waste with high moisture contain due to unavailable source separation. Chinese MSWM is dominated by 60.16 % landfilling, whereas incineration, untreated discharge, and other treatments are 29.84, 8.21, and 1.79 %, respectively. In 2014, a total of 604 sanitary landfills, 188 incineration plants, and 26 other units were used for MSWM. With the magnitude of timing, the increasing rate of incineration unit and disposal capacity is higher than the landfill. In 2004–2014, the disposal capacity of landfill and incineration is increased from 68.89 to 107.44 and 4.49 to 53.3 million tons, respectively. However, the heating value in the majority of Chinese incineration plants is 3000–6700 kJ/kg and the inappropriate leachate treatment can be found in 47 % landfill sites. A proper taxation system for MSW disposal is not fully implemented in China, which has a negative impact on overall MSW recycling. From the comparative study of MSWM, it is revealed that the source separation MSW collection, high energy recovery from incineration plants, appropriate leachate treatment, effective landfill location and management, increase waste recycling and proper taxation system for MSW disposal are essential to improve MSWM in China.

Reverse logistics in household recycling and waste systems: a symbiosis perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the proposition that there is a symbiosis effect for exchanges between household waste recycling systems (HWRSs) and household recycling behaviour (HRB) within the reverse logistics (RL) discourse. Design/methodology/approach – The paper contains empirical findings from a two phase, multi-method approach comprising consecutive inductive and deductive investigations. The qualitative and quantitative data underpin exploratory and explanatory findings which broaden and deepen the understanding of this phenomenon. Findings – Analysis identified significant interactions between situational and personal factors, specifically demographic factors, affecting HRB with key factors identified as engagement, convenience, availability and accessibility. Research limitations/implications – Findings confirm the existence of a symbiosis effect between situational and personal factors and inform current research trends in the environmental sciences, behavioural and logistics literature, particularly identifying consumers as being an important pivot point between forward and RL flows. Practical implications – Findings should inform RL-HWRSs design by municipalities looking to more effectively manage MSW and enhance recycling and sustainability. RL practitioners should introduce systems to support recovery of MSW in sympathy with communication and education initiatives to affect HRB and should also appreciate a symbiosis effect in the design of HWRSs. Social implications – The social implications of improved recycling performances in municipalities are profound. Even incremental improvements in the performance of HWRSs can lead to enhanced sustainability through higher recycling rates, reduced diversion of MSW to landfill, decreases in pollution levels, reduced carbon footprints and reduction in depletion of scarce natural resources. Originality/value – The paper marks an early contribution to the study of symbiosis in HWRSs and HRB pertaining to RL. Findings are offered that identify the key situational and personal factors that interact to affect enhanced HWRSs and also offer insights above those available in current multi-disciplinary literature that has largely examined such factors in isolation. Conclusions offer the possibility of an epistemological bridge between the social and natural sciences.

Interactions of the metal tolerant heterotrophic microorganisms and iron oxidizing autotrophic bacteria from sulphidic mine environment during bioleaching experiments

Iron and sulfur oxidizing chemolithoautotrophic acidophilic bacteria, such as Acidithiobacillus species, hold the dominant role in mine environments characterized by low pH values and high concentrations of reduced sulfur and iron compounds, such as ores, rocks and acid drainage waters from mines. On the other hand, heterotrophic microorganisms, especially their biofilms, from these specific niches are receiving increased attention, but their potential eco-physiological roles have not been fully understood. Biofilms are considered a threat to human health, but biofilms also have beneficial properties as they are deployed in waste recycling and bioremediation systems. We have analyzed interactions of the metal tolerant heterotrophic microorganisms in biofilms with iron oxidizing autotrophic bacteria both from the sulphidic mine environment (copper mine Bor, Serbia). High tolerance to Cu2+, Cd2+ and Cr6+ and the presence of genetic determinants for the respective metal tolerance and biofilm-forming ability was shown for indigenous heterotrophic bacteria that included strains of Staphylococcus and Rhodococcus. Two well characterized bacteria- Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 (known biofilm former) and Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 (known metal resistant representative) were also included in the study. The interaction and survivability of autotrophic iron oxidizing Acidithiobacillus bacteria and biofilms of heterotrophic bacteria during co-cultivation was revealed. Finally, the effect of heterotrophic biofilms on bioleaching process with indigenous iron oxidizing Acidithiobacillus species was shown not to be inhibitory under in vitro conditions.

基于生命周期方法的生活垃圾资源化利用系统生态效率分析

基于生命周期方法的生活垃圾资源化利用系统生态效率分析

The relationship between municipal waste diversion incentivization and recycling system performance

This study examines the effects of municipal recycling incentivization on municipal recycling rates and program costs in Ontario, Canada. Ontario is currently one of only two jurisdictions in Canada to fund municipal waste diversion programs using an incentive-based system that allocates funding in proportion to a municipality's recycling rate performance. Packaging fees remitted by packaging producers under Ontario's shared producer responsibility model are distributed to municipalities based on three factors: relative recycling performance, program costs and adherence to recycling best practices. Using a combination of panel data collected from 223 Ontario municipalities between the periods of 2003 and 2014 and semi structured interviews with recycling stakeholders, this study aims to examine whether municipalities respond to financial incentivization by increasing total recycling or decreasing costs. The results of the statistical modeling used in this study indicate that there is no statistically significant relationship between municipal incentives, recycling rates or program costs. This suggests that Ontario's municipal recycling funding methodology fails to achieve its intended objectives, and as such, necessitates that the approach be revisited to ensure maximum waste diversion.

E-waste management and resources recovery in France.

There are various issues of concern regarding electronic waste management, such as the toxicity of hazardous materials and the collection, recycling and recovery of useful resources. To understand the fate of electronic waste after collection and recycling, a products and materials flow analysis should be performed. This is a critical need, as material resources are becoming increasingly scarce and recycling may be able to provide secondary sources for new materials in the future. In this study, we investigate electronic waste systems, specifically the resource recovery or recycling aspects, as well as mapping electronic waste flows based on collection data in France. Approximately 1,588,453 t of new electrical and electronic equipment were sold in the French market in 2010. Of this amount, 430,000 t of electronic waste were collected, with the remaining 1,128,444 t remaining in stock. Furthermore, the total recycled amounts were 354,106 t and 11,396 t, respectively. The main electronic waste materials were ferrous metals (37%), plastic (22%), aluminium (12%), copper (11%) and glass (7%). This study will contribute to developing sustainable electronic waste and resource recycling systems in France.

Hybrid Simulation-Based Planning and Evaluation Framework for Solid Waste Management and Recycling Systems

Hybrid Simulation-Based Planning and Evaluation Framework for Solid Waste Management and Recycling Systems

New insights into waste management – Meat industry

This paper discusses the effects of changes in the management methods for animal by-products in a meat-processing plant after the implementation of an onsite thermal process waste recycling system and the construction of a production facility for mineral fertilisers. The changes concern cured meat production at a beef, pork and poultry cutting plant with a capacity of 150 tons per day. The remains of the processing comprise 17 tons per day of bones and pulp from meat and bone, which are burnt to ash. The resulting waste (ash) is converted into a new and useful product: mineral fertiliser. This paper details a case study of the first facility in Poland with an animal by-product thermal recycling facility and a plant, located at the meat-processing factory, that produces mineral fertiliser for agriculture and horticulture. The results of this study indicate that the management of animal by-products eliminates some of the negative effects related to their transport to local facilities for disposal. The study also highlights substantial ecological, energy-related and economic advantages.

Life cycle assessment and valuation of the packaging waste recycling system in Belgium

This study analyses the packaging waste management system in Belgium. Waste management operations involve a significant number of processes associated with energy consumption and emission of pollutants in air and water. To assess the impact on the environment of the several waste management operations, a life cycle assessment was developed. The operations of selective and refuse collection, sorting, recycling and incineration of packaging waste were considered. A comparison between two scenarios was developed. The first scenario comprised the packaging waste management system in operation in 2010. This system comprises the waste management operations envisaging the recycling of the packaging materials. The second scenario was developed based on the hypothesis that there was no recycling system and all packaging waste would be collected in the refuse collection system. An environmental valuation was performed to convert the environmental results into a common unit (EUR). To accomplish this valuation, three methods were used: Ecocost, Ecovalue and Stepwise. These methods were developed in Europe and follow different methodologies. The environmental results were compared using the three methods and they were consistent with the conclusion that the recycling scenario (i.e. the actual situation in 2010) is more environmentally sound.

To Develop a Greener Recycled Paper Production by Determining Potential Environmental Impacts through Life Cycle Perspective

A huge number of available Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies have shown that data availability for paper products is enormous regionally. In Malaysia, LCA practices are considered uncommon attributed to the lack of data availability and LCA practitioner itself. Therefore, a cradle to cradle study has been carried out to determine the potential impacts arise from the recycled paper production in Malaysia. LCA methodology used in this study including goal and scope definition, inventory analysis (LCI), impact assessment (LCIA) and interpretation is based on ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 framework. A series of input-output data collection has been carried out and the collected data was calculated by using Simapro software followed by data evaluation using Eco-indicator 99 method. The results showed that the most significant impacts generated throughout the system were fossil fuel and resources at the midpoint and endpoint level respectively. This can be attributed to a high consumption of chemicals and energy in the pulp and paper manufacturing process. As a consequence, a comprehensive practice in mill specifically on chemicals and resources include water and energy consumption, as well as the waste management and recycling system needs to be addressed explicitly to mitigate the relevant impacts.

The Organic Waste Recycling System Based on the Agro-Activities of Urban Residents

The Organic Waste Recycling System Based on the Agro-Activities of Urban Residents

German Textile Waste Recycling Industry Processing and its Implications in China

Textile recycling can save resource and energy, as well as make huge economic benefits. Under the background of recycling economy, it is imperative to build textile recycling and reuse system in China, as there are many problems in Chinese textile waste recycling market. This paper introduces the background of textile waste recycling and explores the detail of advanced textile recycling mode in Germany as a case study, through which the author points out that we can learn from the German mode and choose Yangtze River Delta as a pilot area to establish the textile waste recycling system.

국내 친환경 업무용 건축물의 디자인에 대한 비교 연구

The eco-friendly elements are important for new construction and renovation and redevelopment of the buildings. The green buildings are related with minimizing environmental pollution and how to live with nature throughout the entire process of demolishing and building. The purpose of this paper is to study on eco-friendly business buildings in the trend of mandatory green building certification system. The analysis of this paper is comparative studies on practices at eleven domestic eco-friendly business buildings through site survey on design framework of green buildings. The design framework of eleven this buildings is six kinds of skills on technical, renewable, ecological, cultural, healthy, social. The eleven this buildings in the new & renewable energy and IT technology of technical sector are satisfied with the framework. But, domestic most advanced eco-friendly business buildings are placed difference between almost the two times on the lower buildings at comparative evaluation. The three of this buildings are gratified rainwater harvesting and waste recycling systems for renewable and recycle. The buildings have an excellent aspects of technology and ecology. The benefits of this buildings are related with future compulsory zero energy house to take technical advantage of renewable energy. However, the buildings reflecting the regional culture types is insufficient. The buildings should be supplemented as follows. This buildings are need to have the social enhancement programs and design for convenient space of community residents, through health and comfort of on workplace. Moreover, this buildings have features of coexisting with human beings and nature friendly with the aim of realizing the sustainable development. The social enhancement programs through regional cultural aspects with ecology are related with individual and community livings in harmony, non-hierarchical communal lifes. The development of the cultural aspects provide for consensus about the local community and creating sustainable communities. Thus, The buildings are to have energy saving, pleasant and healthy living environment and interactive individual and community livings in harmony.

Life cycle assessment of a packaging waste recycling system in Portugal

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been used to assess the environmental impacts associated with an activity or product life cycle. It has also been applied to assess the environmental performance related to waste management activities. This study analyses the packaging waste management system of a local public authority in Portugal. The operations of selective and refuse collection, sorting, recycling, landfilling and incineration of packaging waste were considered. The packaging waste management system in operation in 2010, which we called “Baseline” scenario, was compared with two hypothetical scenarios where all the packaging waste that was selectively collected in 2010 would undergo the refuse collection system and would be sent directly to incineration (called “Incineration” scenario) or to landfill (“Landfill” scenario). Overall, the results show that the “Baseline” scenario is more environmentally sound than the hypothetical scenarios.

Path Design of Municipal Life Waste Recycling System

The design of the municipal life waste recycling path is an integral part of the whole recycling system, it occupies an important position, and its improvement and optimization play a vital role on efficient operation of municipal waste recycling system. Based on analysis, combined with modern logistics theory, aiming at optimization, this paper sets up models for collecting and transshipping paths of municipal waste recycling system.

Economic and environmental impacts of the recycling system in Portugal

The Directive 94/62/EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste led to new major investments in infrastructure and equipment for waste management in Portugal to cope with the imposed recycling and recovery targets. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the economic rate of return of the enhanced environmental protection achieved with the implementation of the recycling scheme. Therefore, we calculated, compared, and contrasted all economic and environmental costs and benefits involved in the Portuguese packaging waste recycling system. The economic-financial and environmental assessments were developed based on data collected from the operators in charge of the municipal waste management operations. The same system boundary was used in both assessments. The environmental impacts were quantified through a Life Cycle Assessment and, then, converted into monetary values by means of three environmental valuation methods: Ecovalue08, Eco-costs2012 and Stepwise2006. We concluded that, globally, the benefits surpassed the costs for the three valuation methods. The overall cost coverage ranges between 137% and 196% if the “avoided costs” component is considered. In fact, the refuse collection and waste disposal operations proved to be more costly (mainly in the environmental perspective) than the activities which prepare waste for recycling. The “avoided costs” component assumes an important role in promoting the efficiency of the Portuguese waste management operators (local authorities), reducing their economic costs and also the environmental damage.

Regional and temporal simulation of a smart recycling system for municipal organic solid wastes

Abstract A cost-effective and robust waste treatment and recycling system is a requisite of a sustainable society. In our previous study, we proposed a “smart recycling system” that utilizes existing industrial facilities with higher energy efficiency so that a cost-effective and robust recycling system for treating municipal wastes can be established. In this study, we further develop the concept of smart recycling and propose a framework for facilitating the implementation of such a system. By making use of existing facilities and adopting both closed-loop and semi-closed-loop recycling processes, this system allows flexible adaptations on the changes of external factors. A spatially optimal scale is necessary to meet the requirements for such a smart recycling system. Thus, we develop an integrated model that combines both geographical information system based collection model and a process model for a smart recycling center. In order to test its applicability, we employ a case study approach to simulate the implementation of smart recycling in the three satellite cities of Tokyo Metropolitan Area and evaluate its effects under three different scenarios. Our simulation results show that smart recycling cannot only reduce carbon dioxide emission but also lower the overall costs. Also, by comparing with conventional waste incineration, we find that the unit cost of smart recycling is relatively stable to changes of the waste amounts due to its lower fixed costs for facilities.

Design of the Electronic Waste Recycle Network System Based on GIS

The output of the electronic waste has increased greatly along with the economic development and improvement of peoples living standard. It has become a difficult research problem that how to recycle the electronic waste efficiently. The paper forecasts the total quantity of the electronic waste based on the status analysis on the electronic waste recycles. Then it gives the operation sites in the recycle system such as recycling site, disassembly/test center, disposal factory, etc. through forecast and GIS combining with the general process of the electronic waste recycle. Finally, it designs the integral electronic waste recycle system based on GIS, and applies the design to the electronic waste recycle system of Huaian. Furthermore, it carries out overall evaluation from three aspects: economy, environment protection and society according to the application result. The evaluation shows good result.

Economic viability of packaging waste recycling systems: A comparison between Belgium and Portugal

The Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive has had an undeniable impact on waste management throughout the European Union. Whereas recycling and recovery targets are the same, member states still enjoy a considerable degree of freedom with respect to the practical organization and management strategies adopted. Nevertheless, in all cases, the industry (which brings packaging material onto the market) should be responsible for the costs associated with packaging waste recycling/recovery (following the extended producer responsibility principle). The current paper compares and contrasts the institutional frameworks and financial costs and benefits of waste management operators for Belgium and Portugal. The unit costs of selective collection and sorting of packaging waste are provided for both countries. In Belgium, the costs of recycling seem to be fully supported by the industry (through Fost Plus, the national Green Dot agency). In Portugal the fairness of the recycling system depends on the perspective adopted (economic or strictly financial). Adopting a strictly financial perspective, it seems that Sociedade Ponto Verde (SPV, the Portuguese Green Dot agency) should increase the transfers to local authorities. However, the conclusions differ for this country if the avoided costs with refuse collection and other treatment are taken into account.

Analysis of the global warming potential for wood waste recycling systems

Abstract Wood waste is a renewable resource that can be recycled for particleboard production or energy production. Particleboard is the most common product of wood waste recycling, and energy production using biomass has been highlighted for energy recovery and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in recent years. The aim of this study was to evaluate the environmental benefits of particle board production and energy production using wood wastes. The system expansion method was applied to the quantification of the environmental benefit of two different recycling systems. Life cycle assessment methodology was used to analyze the environmental impacts of the systems, and the functional unit was 1 tonne of wood wastes. The results for both recycling systems showed that the particleboard from wood wastes produces −428 kg CO2-eq compared to particleboard from fresh woods, and the energy production using wood wastes is −154 kg CO2-eq compared to that of the combined heat and power generation process. The concept of temporary biomass carbon storage was applied to the study.