Pub Date : 2026-01-21DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108804
Bahareh Nasiri, Mark Hughes
The study integrates an inflow-driven dynamic material flow model to estimate both the quantity and quality of wood outflows using lifetime distributions. It also assesses the cascading potential of wood under two scenarios: one with cascading and one without. The model builds upon the dynamic-stock-model Python package, which the authors further developed to incorporate material quality. As input, the model uses the gross floor area of houses built in Finland between 1966 and 2020.
The findings underscore the crucial role of decay functions and the selection of their variables, highlighting the need for continued research to refine these aspects. The scenarios and lifetime effects reveal that wood cascading has a greater effect on reducing total wood outflows than merely extending the lifetime of buildings. Furthermore, the cascade scenario (30 % reuse and 70 % recycling) shows a great potential for cascading in the wood sector, highlighting its effectiveness in minimizing wood waste compared to the non-cascading scenario.
{"title":"Lifetime effects on wood waste generation and the cascading potential of waste wood from Finnish houses","authors":"Bahareh Nasiri, Mark Hughes","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108804","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108804","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The study integrates an inflow-driven dynamic material flow model to estimate both the quantity and quality of wood outflows using lifetime distributions. It also assesses the cascading potential of wood under two scenarios: one with cascading and one without. The model builds upon the dynamic-stock-model Python package, which the authors further developed to incorporate material quality. As input, the model uses the gross floor area of houses built in Finland between 1966 and 2020.</div><div>The findings underscore the crucial role of decay functions and the selection of their variables, highlighting the need for continued research to refine these aspects. The scenarios and lifetime effects reveal that wood cascading has a greater effect on reducing total wood outflows than merely extending the lifetime of buildings. Furthermore, the cascade scenario (30 % reuse and 70 % recycling) shows a great potential for cascading in the wood sector, highlighting its effectiveness in minimizing wood waste compared to the non-cascading scenario.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 108804"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146014922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-21DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108799
A. Bringas, R. Ibañez, Ma.-F. San-Román
This study investigates the leaching of rare earth elements (REEs) from a novel secondary source, incineration ash of urban wastewater treatment plants. Hydrochloric, nitric, and sulfuric acid were selected as leaching agents. The optimal leaching conditions were determined from Central Composite Design (CCD), evaluating acid concentration, temperature, liquid-to-solid ratio, and H₂O₂ concentration. The findings suggest that HCl and HNO₃ achieved almost complete leaching of REEs, concentrations in the leachate ranging from 0.5 to 5.0 mg L⁻¹. Sulfuric acid showed lower efficiency. The optimal conditions for HCl and HNO₃ included a temperature of 85 °C, acid concentrations of 3.1 M and 5.1 M respectively, and liquid-to-solid ratio 6.0 mL g⁻¹. Under these conditions, leaching yields reached up to 100% for target REEs Nd, Pr, Gd, Tb, and Dy. As demonstrated, the potential of UWWTP ash as REEs secondary source, is highlighted, contributing to sustainable urban mining practices.
本文研究了稀土元素（ree）从城市污水处理厂的焚烧灰这一新的二次来源中浸出。选择盐酸、硝酸和硫酸作为浸出剂。通过中心复合设计（CCD），综合考虑酸浓度、温度、液固比和H₂O₂浓度，确定了最佳浸出条件。研究结果表明，HCl和HNO₃几乎完全浸出了稀土元素，浸出液中的浓度在0.5到5.0 mg L - 1之间。硫酸的效率较低。配制HCl和HNO₃的最佳条件为：温度85℃，酸浓度分别为3.1 M和5.1 M，液固比为6.0 mL g⁻¹。在这些条件下，目标稀土Nd、Pr、Gd、Tb和Dy的浸出率高达100%。如上所示，UWWTP灰作为稀土二次源的潜力被强调，有助于可持续的城市采矿实践。
{"title":"Urban mining of REEs from wastewater treatment plant ash: Process optimization of inorganic acid leaching","authors":"A. Bringas, R. Ibañez, Ma.-F. San-Román","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108799","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108799","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the leaching of rare earth elements (REEs) from a novel secondary source, incineration ash of urban wastewater treatment plants. Hydrochloric, nitric, and sulfuric acid were selected as leaching agents. The optimal leaching conditions were determined from Central Composite Design (CCD), evaluating acid concentration, temperature, liquid-to-solid ratio, and H₂O₂ concentration. The findings suggest that HCl and HNO₃ achieved almost complete leaching of REEs, concentrations in the leachate ranging from 0.5 to 5.0 mg L⁻¹. Sulfuric acid showed lower efficiency. The optimal conditions for HCl and HNO₃ included a temperature of 85 °C, acid concentrations of 3.1 M and 5.1 M respectively, and liquid-to-solid ratio 6.0 mL g⁻¹. Under these conditions, leaching yields reached up to 100% for target REEs Nd, Pr, Gd, Tb, and Dy. As demonstrated, the potential of UWWTP ash as REEs secondary source, is highlighted, contributing to sustainable urban mining practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 108799"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146014920","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-20DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108805
Paul Mullane , Sara Bottausci , Cornelis Peter Baldé , Colin Fitzpatrick , Eoin Martino Grua
Plastic packaging waste (PPW) presents a major sustainability challenge across the European Union (EU). The 2004 amendment to the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (2004/12/EC) introduced the first PPW recycling targets, yet little empirical evidence evaluates its real-world implications. This study addresses the research question: Was the implementation of Directive 2004/12/EC associated with statistically significant changes in PPW recycling rates across EU member states? Interrupted time series and a volume trend analysis were applied to PPW recycling rates in 13 EU countries with data spanning 1999–2022. Significant positive associated effects were detected in the Netherlands, Germany and Spain. Significant negative associated effects were detected in Belgium, France, Austria and Ireland. These findings suggest that policy-associated changes likely reflect differences in national implementation conditions. The results provide an empirical evidence base for future EU policy by identifying where additional support or strengthened governance mechanisms may be needed.
{"title":"A statistical assessment of the EU packaging waste directive (2004 Amendment) on plastic packaging recycling in the EU","authors":"Paul Mullane , Sara Bottausci , Cornelis Peter Baldé , Colin Fitzpatrick , Eoin Martino Grua","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108805","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108805","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plastic packaging waste (PPW) presents a major sustainability challenge across the European Union (EU). The 2004 amendment to the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (2004/12/EC) introduced the first PPW recycling targets, yet little empirical evidence evaluates its real-world implications. This study addresses the research question: Was the implementation of Directive 2004/12/EC associated with statistically significant changes in PPW recycling rates across EU member states? Interrupted time series and a volume trend analysis were applied to PPW recycling rates in 13 EU countries with data spanning 1999–2022. Significant positive associated effects were detected in the Netherlands, Germany and Spain. Significant negative associated effects were detected in Belgium, France, Austria and Ireland. These findings suggest that policy-associated changes likely reflect differences in national implementation conditions. The results provide an empirical evidence base for future EU policy by identifying where additional support or strengthened governance mechanisms may be needed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 108805"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146014923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-19DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108789
Meng Xiao , Hongzhen Zhang , Xianglan Li , Chunlong Zhang , Meijie Zhu , Jingqi Dong , Hao Meng , Peng Liu , Jingfei Deng , Huijian Shi , Xingliang Lu
Current sustainability assessments for contaminated site remediation lack unified frameworks integrating multidimensional impacts and public input, alongside data-supported weighting methods. We developed a methodology coupling life cycle assessment (LCA) with sustainability matrices, using social media big data to derive public perception-based weights. Environmental, social, and economic dimensions were weighted at 73.7%, 19.2%, and 7.1%, respectively, with critical indicators of soil (15.9%), business and local economy (4.7%) and indirect/external costs (4.6%) in each dimension. Applied to a site with metals and total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) contamination, environmental impacts dominated sustainability scores despite offsetting social/economic gains. In situ remediation using chemical oxidation and immobilization (net -306) demonstrated significantly lower net impact than ex situ excavation with cement kiln co-disposal (net -355), proving more sustainable. This novel sustainability assessment methodology is transferrable to other contaminated sites for improved efficiency and reduced costs during the decision-making and implementation of green and sustainable remediation (GSR).
{"title":"Coupling life cycle assessment with social media-based matrices for multidimensional sustainability assessment of site remediation","authors":"Meng Xiao , Hongzhen Zhang , Xianglan Li , Chunlong Zhang , Meijie Zhu , Jingqi Dong , Hao Meng , Peng Liu , Jingfei Deng , Huijian Shi , Xingliang Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108789","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108789","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Current sustainability assessments for contaminated site remediation lack unified frameworks integrating multidimensional impacts and public input, alongside data-supported weighting methods. We developed a methodology coupling life cycle assessment (LCA) with sustainability matrices, using social media big data to derive public perception-based weights. Environmental, social, and economic dimensions were weighted at 73.7%, 19.2%, and 7.1%, respectively, with critical indicators of soil (15.9%), business and local economy (4.7%) and indirect/external costs (4.6%) in each dimension. Applied to a site with metals and total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) contamination, environmental impacts dominated sustainability scores despite offsetting social/economic gains. <em>In situ</em> remediation using chemical oxidation and immobilization (net -306) demonstrated significantly lower net impact than <em>ex situ</em> excavation with cement kiln co-disposal (net -355), proving more sustainable. This novel sustainability assessment methodology is transferrable to other contaminated sites for improved efficiency and reduced costs during the decision-making and implementation of green and sustainable remediation (GSR).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 108789"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146001032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-17DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108791
Juudit Ottelin, Julia Sborz, Meng Jiang, Konstantin Stadler
The efficiency of public versus private sectors has interested policymakers and researchers for decades. Management research has highlighted that private ownership can improve the efficiency of production. However, regarding environmental efficiency, the public sector often outperforms the private sector. Furthermore, the so-called synergy hypothesis suggests that countries with a strong public sector might be better positioned to address environmental problems than other countries, because of their already existing governance related to welfare. Yet, empirical evidence so far has mostly suggested otherwise. Here, we contribute to these debates by 1) providing an analysis of the consumption-based environmental intensities of government versus household consumption and 2) testing the synergy hypothesis using the environmental intensities as the measure of environmental performance. Our results show that government consumption has lower carbon, material, and land use intensities compared to household consumption – particularly in services, and in most countries, also in energy. Yet, in several countries, households have lower intensities for tangible goods and food, potentially pointing to shortcomings in public procurement policies. We also find support for the synergy hypothesis: countries with higher public social expenditure (% of GDP) tend to have lower environmental intensities, even when controlling for final demand per capita.
{"title":"Environmental intensities of consumption reveal synergy between welfare and environmental policies beyond income effect","authors":"Juudit Ottelin, Julia Sborz, Meng Jiang, Konstantin Stadler","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108791","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108791","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The efficiency of public versus private sectors has interested policymakers and researchers for decades. Management research has highlighted that private ownership can improve the efficiency of production. However, regarding environmental efficiency, the public sector often outperforms the private sector. Furthermore, the so-called <em>synergy hypothesis</em> suggests that countries with a strong public sector might be better positioned to address environmental problems than other countries, because of their already existing governance related to welfare. Yet, empirical evidence so far has mostly suggested otherwise. Here, we contribute to these debates by 1) providing an analysis of the consumption-based environmental intensities of government versus household consumption and 2) testing the <em>synergy hypothesis</em> using the environmental intensities as the measure of environmental performance. Our results show that government consumption has lower carbon, material, and land use intensities compared to household consumption – particularly in services, and in most countries, also in energy. Yet, in several countries, households have lower intensities for tangible goods and food, potentially pointing to shortcomings in public procurement policies. We also find support for the <em>synergy hypothesis</em>: countries with higher public social expenditure (% of GDP) tend to have lower environmental intensities, even when controlling for final demand per capita.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 108791"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145995613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-16DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108798
S. Duex , P. Busch , A. Kendall
Electric vehicles (EVs) require more than double the copper of conventional vehicles and are crucial for meeting net-zero targets for the transport sector. To understand the future of copper supply and the effects of the EV transition, we construct a mine-level optimization model to simulate supply dynamics under a variety of demand and copper recycling scenarios in a net-zero future.
We find large additions of new raw-ore-capacity will be necessary by 2050, ranging from 1958 Mt to 6591 Mt, depending on recycling rates and EV battery size. Our highest demand scenario shows insufficient capacity expansion to meet short-term demand, ore grade decline to 0.41%, and 373 new mine openings by 2050. The best scenario (high recycling rates in all sectors and smaller EV batteries) illustrates a pathway to a more sustainable EV transition: demand is met in all years, ore grade remains at 0.5%, and 87 new mines are required.
{"title":"The electric vehicle transition: effects on copper supply dynamics in a net-zero future","authors":"S. Duex , P. Busch , A. Kendall","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108798","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108798","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Electric vehicles (EVs) require more than double the copper of conventional vehicles and are crucial for meeting net-zero targets for the transport sector. To understand the future of copper supply and the effects of the EV transition, we construct a mine-level optimization model to simulate supply dynamics under a variety of demand and copper recycling scenarios in a net-zero future.</div><div>We find large additions of new raw-ore-capacity will be necessary by 2050, ranging from 1958 Mt to 6591 Mt, depending on recycling rates and EV battery size. Our highest demand scenario shows insufficient capacity expansion to meet short-term demand, ore grade decline to 0.41%, and 373 new mine openings by 2050. The best scenario (high recycling rates in all sectors and smaller EV batteries) illustrates a pathway to a more sustainable EV transition: demand is met in all years, ore grade remains at 0.5%, and 87 new mines are required.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 108798"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145980697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-15DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108790
Hao Lu , Yisen Qian , Lyujun Chen , Wei Zhou , Kun Yan , Tianshu Ji , Yongtao Tang , Jinping Tian
The global alcoholic beverage industry contributes significantly to global carbon emissions, releasing approximately 1.5 billion tonnes of CO₂-equivalent in 2021. China, as the world’s largest producer and consumer of distilled spirits, faces sustainability challenges due to the high carbon intensity of its baijiu industry. However, current research lacks detailed, high-resolution CF assessment for traditional baijiu products. This study develops a “12987 sauce-flavor baijiu CF model” using over 1,700 primary data points from a representative distillery producing 60,000 tonnes baijiu annually. The model includes 23 sub-modules covering the full cradle-to-gate life cycle. Results show a CF of 6,816 g CO₂-eq per 500 mL bottle, with crop cultivation, packaging process, and natural gas-based distillation, accounting for nearly 86% of total emissions. Targeted carbon reduction strategies are proposed for production and packaging stages. These findings provide actionable insights to support sustainable low-carbon transition in the baijiu sector and broader global spirits industry.
全球酒精饮料行业对全球碳排放的贡献很大，在2021年释放了约15亿吨二氧化碳当量。中国作为世界上最大的蒸馏酒生产国和消费国，由于白酒行业的高碳强度，面临着可持续发展的挑战。然而，目前的研究缺乏对传统白酒产品详细、高分辨率的CF评估。本研究利用一家年产6万吨白酒的代表性酒厂的1700多个数据点，建立了“12987酱味白酒CF模型”。该模型包括23个子模块，涵盖了从摇篮到闸门的整个生命周期。结果表明，每500ml瓶的CF为6,816 g CO₂-eq，其中作物种植，包装过程和天然气蒸馏占总排放量的近86%。针对生产和包装阶段提出了有针对性的碳减排策略。这些发现为支持白酒行业和更广泛的全球烈酒行业的可持续低碳转型提供了可行的见解。
{"title":"Carbon footprint of a traditional Chinese distilled spirit (Baijiu) with high-resolution supply-chain mapping","authors":"Hao Lu , Yisen Qian , Lyujun Chen , Wei Zhou , Kun Yan , Tianshu Ji , Yongtao Tang , Jinping Tian","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108790","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108790","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global alcoholic beverage industry contributes significantly to global carbon emissions, releasing approximately 1.5 billion tonnes of CO₂-equivalent in 2021. China, as the world’s largest producer and consumer of distilled spirits, faces sustainability challenges due to the high carbon intensity of its baijiu industry. However, current research lacks detailed, high-resolution CF assessment for traditional baijiu products. This study develops a “12987 sauce-flavor baijiu CF model” using over 1,700 primary data points from a representative distillery producing 60,000 tonnes baijiu annually. The model includes 23 sub-modules covering the full cradle-to-gate life cycle. Results show a CF of 6,816 g CO₂-eq per 500 mL bottle, with crop cultivation, packaging process, and natural gas-based distillation, accounting for nearly 86% of total emissions. Targeted carbon reduction strategies are proposed for production and packaging stages. These findings provide actionable insights to support sustainable low-carbon transition in the baijiu sector and broader global spirits industry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 108790"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145980705","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108788
Xianliang Wu , Jinfa Chen , Yaoyue Su , Zhenming Zhang , Jun Wang
Microplastics (MPs) are generally considered biologically inert and do not participate in element cycling in soil because microorganisms in nature lack enzyme systems that can effectively cut off these artificially synthesized polymer chains. However, an increasing number of studies have confirmed that MPs entering the soil can interfere with the stability of the microbial community structure and affect the nutrient cycling processes driven by microorganisms in the soil, thereby affecting greenhouse gas emissions and plant growth. Our understanding concerning the effects of MPs on element cycling, enzyme activity, and microbial gene expression remains unclear. The present review focuses mainly on the effects of MPs on carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) cycling on soil and plant responses and introduces related advancements, challenges, limitations, and future directions. MPs can significantly affect soil C, N and P cycles and functional microorganisms in soil and correspondingly alter enzyme activities and gene expression related to greenhouse gas emissions (CH4 and N2O), depending on the interactions between the characteristics of the MPs themselves and the soil environment (e.g., moisture status, redox potential, and the microbial community). Despite the rapid development of life cycle assessment, carbon footprint and sustainable development goals related to MPs, this is still a challenging frontier field, reflected mainly in data gaps and standardization, indistinction of the carrier effect, and incompletion of the impact assessment model. Currently, several controversies remain concerning whether the same MPs have varying effects across different soil types; findings from short-term laboratory experiments often conflict with long-term field data, and MPs ultimately enhance or suppress plant absorption of N and P. This review proposes several valuable suggestions for future research, including long-term field experiments, multifactor interactions, molecular ecology techniques, standardized research methods, and coregulatory effects of viruses and hosts, which will narrow the knowledge gap concerning MPs-mediated element cycles in soil.
{"title":"A systematic review of the soil C, N, and P cycles mediated by microplastics: Enzyme activities, greenhouse gas emissions and plant growth","authors":"Xianliang Wu , Jinfa Chen , Yaoyue Su , Zhenming Zhang , Jun Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108788","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108788","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microplastics (MPs) are generally considered biologically inert and do not participate in element cycling in soil because microorganisms in nature lack enzyme systems that can effectively cut off these artificially synthesized polymer chains. However, an increasing number of studies have confirmed that MPs entering the soil can interfere with the stability of the microbial community structure and affect the nutrient cycling processes driven by microorganisms in the soil, thereby affecting greenhouse gas emissions and plant growth. Our understanding concerning the effects of MPs on element cycling, enzyme activity, and microbial gene expression remains unclear. The present review focuses mainly on the effects of MPs on carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) cycling on soil and plant responses and introduces related advancements, challenges, limitations, and future directions. MPs can significantly affect soil C, N and P cycles and functional microorganisms in soil and correspondingly alter enzyme activities and gene expression related to greenhouse gas emissions (CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O), depending on the interactions between the characteristics of the MPs themselves and the soil environment (e.g., moisture status, redox potential, and the microbial community). Despite the rapid development of life cycle assessment, carbon footprint and sustainable development goals related to MPs, this is still a challenging frontier field, reflected mainly in data gaps and standardization, indistinction of the carrier effect, and incompletion of the impact assessment model. Currently, several controversies remain concerning whether the same MPs have varying effects across different soil types; findings from short-term laboratory experiments often conflict with long-term field data, and MPs ultimately enhance or suppress plant absorption of N and P. This review proposes several valuable suggestions for future research, including long-term field experiments, multifactor interactions, molecular ecology techniques, standardized research methods, and coregulatory effects of viruses and hosts, which will narrow the knowledge gap concerning MPs-mediated element cycles in soil.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 108788"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145980696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108786
Vorada Kosajan, Wei Pan, Yang Zhang
This study examined the potential of End-of-Life circular economy systems to reduce embodied carbon in steel modular buildings. A multicycle life cycle assessment framework integrating material flow analysis and time-specific impact factors was developed. A case study involving a typical steel module in Hong Kong showed that landfilling generated 154.9 t CO2 eq. over the period 2020–2070, whereas recycle-priority and reuse-priority scenarios achieved 123.1 t CO2 eq. and 47.2 t CO2 eq., respectively. Reusing the steel module up to ten times reduced embodied carbon by 4.1 t CO2 eq./m2. Component-level analysis revealed that architectural components could significantly contribute to embodied carbon reductions. However, decarbonisation of the upstream industry (steel, aluminium, and electricity) reduced the benefits of multiple reuses by 24.2 %. This paper provides a comprehensive and flexible framework for multiple lifecycle assessment and offers valuable insights into how steel modular construction can enhance decarbonisation through End-of-Life circular economy systems.
{"title":"Reducing embodied carbon in steel modules through end-of-life circular economy systems","authors":"Vorada Kosajan, Wei Pan, Yang Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108786","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108786","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examined the potential of End-of-Life circular economy systems to reduce embodied carbon in steel modular buildings. A multicycle life cycle assessment framework integrating material flow analysis and time-specific impact factors was developed. A case study involving a typical steel module in Hong Kong showed that landfilling generated 154.9 t CO<sub>2</sub> eq. over the period 2020–2070, whereas recycle-priority and reuse-priority scenarios achieved 123.1 t CO<sub>2</sub> eq. and 47.2 t CO<sub>2</sub> eq., respectively. Reusing the steel module up to ten times reduced embodied carbon by 4.1 t CO<sub>2</sub> eq./m<sup>2</sup>. Component-level analysis revealed that architectural components could significantly contribute to embodied carbon reductions. However, decarbonisation of the upstream industry (steel, aluminium, and electricity) reduced the benefits of multiple reuses by 24.2 %. This paper provides a comprehensive and flexible framework for multiple lifecycle assessment and offers valuable insights into how steel modular construction can enhance decarbonisation through End-of-Life circular economy systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 108786"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145962160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108785
Huizhong Zhang , Tianyuan Zhou , Siqi Wang , Zhiwei Li , Raymond R. Tan , Xiaoping Jia , Fang Wang
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) will play an important role in achieving carbon neutrality. In the deployment of CCS, it is important to identify an optimal network to allocate CO2 between CO2 sources and sinks. However, research on source-sink matching has been limited mostly to mathematical programming approaches with inherently limited interpretability to plan CCS involving different emission sectors and different storage reservoirs. Alternative techniques that may offer some interpretability advantages have not been explored as thoroughly. To address this research gap, this study introduces an integrated framework that synergistically combines Carbon Storage Composite Curves (CSCC) with Orthogonal Experimental Design (OED). This CSCC-OED framework is designed for the interpretable, multi-sectoral optimization of CCS infrastructure planning. It could coordinate the dynamic matching of CO₂ source-sink over a multi-decade planning horizon, while addressing constraints of storage capacity, operational timelines, and reservoir availability. The CSCC framework quantifies three critical metrics: additional storage requirement, total storage capacity, and excess capacity. Finally, global sensitivity analysis is performed to investigate the effect of parameters on the CCS deployment based on the deployment factors identified by OED method. Results of the case study indicate that the start time of CO2 reservoir is the most statistically significant factor. 10 Gt of CO₂ could be stored via three reservoirs commencing operation in 2025, which contributes to 81.63% of the sectoral emission reduction target. Furthermore, scenarios involving policy-, technology-, and economy-driven CCS pathways are analyzed. This work establishes a systematic decision-support tool for CCS infrastructure planning, emphasizing the criticality of coordinated multi-sectoral strategies and early reservoir deployment to meet carbon neutrality goals.
{"title":"Integrated multi-sectoral approach for planning of carbon capture and storage projects","authors":"Huizhong Zhang , Tianyuan Zhou , Siqi Wang , Zhiwei Li , Raymond R. Tan , Xiaoping Jia , Fang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108785","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2026.108785","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbon capture and storage (CCS) will play an important role in achieving carbon neutrality. In the deployment of CCS, it is important to identify an optimal network to allocate CO<sub>2</sub> between CO<sub>2</sub> sources and sinks. However, research on source-sink matching has been limited mostly to mathematical programming approaches with inherently limited interpretability to plan CCS involving different emission sectors and different storage reservoirs. Alternative techniques that may offer some interpretability advantages have not been explored as thoroughly. To address this research gap, this study introduces an integrated framework that synergistically combines Carbon Storage Composite Curves (CSCC) with Orthogonal Experimental Design (OED). This CSCC-OED framework is designed for the interpretable, multi-sectoral optimization of CCS infrastructure planning. It could coordinate the dynamic matching of CO₂ source-sink over a multi-decade planning horizon, while addressing constraints of storage capacity, operational timelines, and reservoir availability. The CSCC framework quantifies three critical metrics: additional storage requirement, total storage capacity, and excess capacity. Finally, global sensitivity analysis is performed to investigate the effect of parameters on the CCS deployment based on the deployment factors identified by OED method. Results of the case study indicate that the start time of CO<sub>2</sub> reservoir is the most statistically significant factor. 10 Gt of CO₂ could be stored via three reservoirs commencing operation in 2025, which contributes to 81.63% of the sectoral emission reduction target. Furthermore, scenarios involving policy-, technology-, and economy-driven CCS pathways are analyzed. This work establishes a systematic decision-support tool for CCS infrastructure planning, emphasizing the criticality of coordinated multi-sectoral strategies and early reservoir deployment to meet carbon neutrality goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 108785"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145961850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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