Circular Economy最新文献

In recent years, the chemical production and waste generation have been rapidly increasing, presenting substantial hazards to the ecosystem and human well-being. To address this issue, a series of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) have been developed internationally, that provide essential decision-making support for the appropriate governance of chemicals and wastes in the participating countries. MEAs have established subsidiary bodies known as science-policy interface (SPI) institutions to provide evidence-based support and scientific assessments for environmental policies. However, the existing SPIs face limitations that hinder their ability to tackle the obstacles presented by the vast quantities of chemicals and wastes currently found in the environment. Therefore, the fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly made the decision to establish a science-policy panel to promote the effective management of chemicals and waste and to prevent pollution (SPP-CWP). This panel is intended to be an independent intergovernmental body, similar to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. The United Nations Environment Programme convened an ad hoc open-ended working group (OEWG) to design strategies for the SPP-CWP. Since 2022, three OEWG meetings have been conducted, and draft documents outlining the panel's scope, functions, operational principles, conflict of interest policy, institutional setup, work processes, and procedures have been formulated. In this article, we analyzed the background and development of the SPP-CWP and provided updates regarding the progress of the panel's establishment. We also suggested future trends for the SPP-CWP. We concluded that SPP-CWP will be a comprehensive and authoritative international body, providing policymakers with exhaustive reports, consequently strengthening the capacity of life cycle management of chemicals. Thus, the panel will effectively reduce or prevent waste production and pollution, promote material circulation, and minimize resource consumption, making significant contributions to the establishment of a circular economy and an environmentally friendly society.

Biological treatment technologies (such as anaerobic digestion, composting, and insect farming) have been extensively employed to handle various degradable organic wastes. However, the inherent complexity and instability of biological treatment processes adversely affect the production of renewable energy and nutrient-rich products. To ensure stable processes and consistent product quality, researchers have invested heavily in control strategies for biological treatment, with machine learning (ML) recently proving effective in optimizing treatment, predicting parameters, detecting disturbances, and enabling real-time monitoring. This review critically assesses the application of ML in biological treatment, providing an in-depth evaluation of key algorithms. This study reveals that artificial neural networks, tree-based models, support vector machines, and genetic algorithms are the leading algorithms in biological treatment. A thorough investigation of the applications of ML in anaerobic digestion, composting, and insect farming underscores its remarkable capacity to predict products, optimize processes, perform real-time monitoring, and mitigate pollution emissions. Furthermore, this review outlines the challenges and prospects encountered in applying ML to biological treatment, highlighting crucial directions for future research in this area.

This review focuses on standard Li recycling approaches for LiFePO₄ (LFP) and nickel−cobalt−manganese (NCM) cathodes. The study discusses about advances in leaching agents, including organic acid, alkaline solutions, natural organic acid, and electrochemical treatments. Emphasis is placed on the significance of selective Li leaching strategies to optimize the recycling of waste batteries. The review also outlines potential future research directions for enhancing selective recycling, providing valuable insights into the recycling of LFP and NCM batteries. Simultaneously, the article addresses the challenges associated with the transition from conventional lithium-ion batteries to all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) in the pursuit of sustainable energy storage technologies. It highlights key points, including the challenges in developing ASSBs, the role of employing various material combinations and its preparation techniques, adopting scalable solution-based processes for commercialization, and strategies for sustainable ASSB recycling. The proposition of a fully recyclable ASSB model underscores the commitment to lower recycling costs using safer and simpler methods, positioning nanotechnology as an enabling tool for achieving advancements in materials and cell-level performance.

The production of plastic materials in the mid-20th century brought about transformative changes in consumer goods manufacturing and societal norms. However, this advancement paralleled an alarming surge in plastic pollution, driven by unrestrained consumption. This study focuses on the non-homogeneous and non-recyclable plastic waste (also known as plasmix in the Italian waste management), a residual blend resulting from plastic recycling processes. The main goals are to conduct an in-depth study of the plasmix landscape, to identify integration challenges, and to create a sustainable business model for broader adoption. Additionally, we aim to use life cycle assessment to examine the environmental effects of semi-finished plasmix-based materials that can be used to produce different products. This integrated approach ensures a holistic understanding of plasmix recycling, promoting both economic and environmental sustainability. The study contributes to sustainable waste management practices by offering a strategic approach to transform a challenging waste stream into economic opportunities. By addressing the market viability of plasmix-based products through an empirically supported business model, the research underscores the significance of recycling in mitigating plastic pollution and advancing a circular economy.

Electronic waste (e-waste) has increased because of the rapid replacement of electrical and electronic equipment. Owing to the increased emphasis on the dual properties of environmental contamination and metal resources, accurate identification of the e-waste recycling process is crucial. In this study, a product-level material flow analysis (MFA) is performed from a macroscopic social flow of waste TV sets in order to demonstrate the material metabolism of regional e-waste recycling. Previous studies have focused on the estimation of the quantity of e-waste generated or analyzing the overall amount of recycled resource output, the results derived from the estimation may have some unreliability, and our bottom-up research investigates the material flows that occur between the generation, collection and recycling of e-waste. MFA based on questionnaires and field research present accurate quantities and proportions of the recycling process. The results reveal that accelerating the construction of regional e-waste recycling systems and data networks and accurately identifying e-waste source, flow, and destination are required in order to improve resource efficiency toward carbon neutrality.

This study proposes an approach to combat construction waste in the architecture, construction, and engineering (ACE) industry by developing a disassemblable brick partition wall. Brick reuse is severely restricted by the presence of mortar; innovative approaches need to be explored. An existing strategy, utilizing mortarless interlocking, relies on non-standardized bricks. It is worth noting that these methods are not specifically created for disassembly, despite the fact that they theoretically could be. A relatively innovative technique for tightening and stabilizing brick units emerged in recent years, involving the utilization of metal components. Despite its potential, there are limited case studies of this approach. By drawing on two typical examples of pros and cons, MIFA 1862 and the UMAR Unit, we propose a new strategy and examine it from multiple perspectives. The findings of the analysis demonstrate how adaptable and versatile the proposed system is, allowing it to be modified into a variety of sizes and forms. Additionally, the system has proven to have considerable advantages in terms of construction speed, and energy efficiency throughout the structure's service time and in future use phases.

The ever-increasing rise in the generation of solid waste has become a global environmental issue. Many cities around the world have adopted zero-waste strategies, policies, and plans to achieve zero-waste goals. China puts great importance to solid waste management and has implemented a zero-waste city pilot program in 11 cities and 5 special areas. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China will promote the construction of “zero-waste city” in 113 cities and 8 special areas. This study introduces the exploration and practice of a zero-waste city in China, including the concept of a zero-waste city, the top-level design for constructing such cities, and the effectiveness of pilot programs. The top-level design of zero-waste city construction in China was explained, including the overall thinking, stage goal, main path, overall structural framework, and promotion method. This study also elaborates on the progress and achievements of zero-waste city construction, summarizing the reform measures in terms of legal processes, policy tools for goal-oriented guidance, and high-level promotion and overall planning. The construction of a zero-waste city is a powerful tool for deepening comprehensive solid waste management reform and is an important initiative for ecological civilization construction.

The practical application of plastics is as indispensable as it is problematic regarding disposal. Plastics present significant opportunities in the context of circular usage and recycling. A circular economy dictates the utilization of every side stream to minimize waste. Current waste management techniques are insufficient in reducing plastic waste entering landfills, wastewater treatment systems, and the environment. Under these circumstances, plastic biodegradation has emerged as a viable and environmentally responsible approach to plastic pollution. Methods are needed for the natural degradation of plastics using microbes that can utilize plastics as their sole carbon source. Studies to enhance the catalytic activity of plastic-degrading enzymes through protein engineering approaches are a relatively new field of research. Enzymatic degradation for product creation represents a purely biological plastic recycling method in a sustainable economy. This review builds insights derived from previous studies and provides a brief overview of plastic degradation using enzymes, improvements in plastic-degrading enzyme efficiency, and stabilization via various protein engineering strategies. In addition, recent advances in plastic waste valorization technology based on systems metabolic engineering and future directions are discussed.

This research explores the role of extended producer responsibility (EPR) as an enabler of circular value chain in the Chinese context. The driven forces and key stakeholders were identified to extend producer responsibility in developing the national-circular-economy strategies. An evaluation system was established to link the eco-design strategy of the producer with the downstream-recycling performance of products. The eco-design information was retrieved from the self-disclosure information in the sustainable development report of producers. The downstream-waste-flow information comes from multiple platforms of reuse and recycling companies. The aim of reforming the EPR system is to establish an open forum for competition and cooperation among different stakeholders to achieve a continuously-improving target of circularity and life cycle environmental performance of the products. With the evaluation results, the producers are encouraged to fully explore all opportunities in the circular value chain instead of focusing only on the final disposal or disassembly of waste. The conclusion suggests that EPR policies should break the restrictions on eco-design and innovation in business models by creating and capturing values of circularity along with the world's collective climate change mitigation efforts.