Waste Management & Research最新文献

Waste management has gained global importance, aligning with the escalating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated concerns regarding medical waste, which poses threats to public health and environmental sustainability. In Istanbul, medical waste is considered a significant concern due to the rising volume of this waste, along with challenges in collection, incineration and storage. At this juncture, precise estimation of the waste volume is crucial for resource planning and allocation. This study, thus, aims to estimate the volume of medical waste in Istanbul using the nonlinear grey Bernoulli model (NGBM(1,1)) and the firefly algorithm (FA). In other words, this study introduces a novel hybrid model, termed as FA-NGBM(1,1), for predicting waste amount in Istanbul. Within this model, prediction accuracy is enhanced through a rolling mechanism and parameter optimization. The effectiveness of this model is compared with the classical GM(1,1) model, the GM(1,1) model optimized with the FA (FA-GM(1,1)), the fractional grey model optimized with the FA (FA-FGM(1,1)) and linear regression. Numerical results indicate that the proposed FA-NGBM(1,1) hybrid model yields lower prediction error with a mean absolute percentage error value 3.47% and 2.57%, respectively, for both testing and validation data compared to other prediction algorithms. The uniqueness of this study is rooted in the process of initially optimizing the parameters for the NGBM(1,1) algorithm using the FA for medical waste estimation in Istanbul. This study also forecasts the amount of medical waste in Istanbul for the next 3 years, indicating a dramatic increase. This suggests that new policies should be promptly considered by decision-makers and practitioners.

Elucidating the properties of landfill leachate and the relationships among leachate parameters is crucial for efforts to determine appropriate landfill leachate monitoring activity and management strategies. This study investigated the physical, chemical and optical parameters of leachate in an old Japanese landfill over a 13-month period. The parameters were explored based on their relationships with the maximum fluorescence (F_max) of three components (microbial humic-like C1, terrestrial humic-like C2 and protein-like C3) deconvoluted from excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with parallel factor analysis. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), Cl^- and SO₄^2- concentrations and pH ranged from 2.6 to 38.2 mg C L^-1, 9 to 324 mg L^-1, 14 to 972 mg L^-1, 26 to 1554 mg L^-1 and 6.9 to 11.6, respectively. Linear regression analysis suggested that the F_max values of C2 and C3 represented DOC, whereas the F_max value of C2 alone could serve as a COD indicator. Hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis were employed to successfully categorise leachate samples based on their locations. Higher dissolved organic matter levels were observed in leachate within the old disposal area, whereas elevated levels of inorganic components such as SO₄^2- and Cl^- were found in leachate collected from the extended disposal area and at a treatment facility. Statistical analysis provides crucial tools for assessing and managing various areas of a landfill, supporting targeted and effective waste management strategies.

Effectively sorting and recycling waste has consequently emerged as a key strategy for environmental preservation and the creation of sustainable communities. The current study aimed to examine the factors influencing consumers' intentions to sort household waste, utilizing the theory of planned behaviour. Collecting 300 responses from Brazilian consumers through structured questionnaires, the study employed a partial least square structural equation modelling approach to assess the proposed hypotheses. The findings emphasized the significant impact of the perceived cost and benefit factor, alongside the influence of information on proper waste disposal (perceived effectiveness), as communicated by entities managing selective waste collection. These findings emphasize the key role of effective communication from waste management agency regarding the outcomes of domestic waste separation efforts for recycling, as well as the perceived benefits and costs by consumers. Such communication is essential for fostering and maintaining consumer engagement in recycling initiatives.

A 12-year field study on municipal solid waste (MSW) stabilization in Northern climates was conducted at Ste. Sophie landfill in Québec, Canada. Temperature and settlement data were collected from 12 instrument bundles placed at varying depths in two vertical columns within the waste during the filling and post-closure phases. The data demonstrated a 12-18 month delay in temperature rise during the filling stages due to frozen or partially frozen MSW and highlighted ambient temperature effects at shallow depths. A thermal-mechanical-biological (TMB) model was developed and calibrated to simulate the impact of temperatures on MSW stabilization, particularly emphasizing landfills without leachate recirculation in Northern climates. The biological model related anaerobic heat generation from MSW with temperature and expended energy from biodegradation. The resultant heat was integrated into the thermal model, allowing for the simulation of heat transfer through conduction. The thermal parameters were expressed as a function of density, which was updated in the mechanical model that combined a Generalized Kelvin-Voigt model with a biodegradation-induced strain term. This term was represented as the ratio of expended energy over time to total potential expended energy of the waste. The TMB model effectively predicted MSW behaviour, considering temperature rise delays in cold and sharp rises in warm conditions. This is essential for optimizing landfill operations by promoting waste stabilization before applying the final cover.

Despite plenty of research recently conducted, household food waste still has not been comprehensively investigated. In view of this, we systematically reviewed the literature on this topic (using VOSviewer), made content analyses and identified several issues in these studies. This study aims to provide an in-depth review on household food waste research by highlighting the research gaps. Our findings indicate that the recent studies on household food waste can be broadly categorised into three interconnected segments: definition of food waste, cause analysis of household food waste and strategies for reducing household food waste. It was found that targeted strategies could reduce food waste by up to 27.85% in some regions. In addition, intervention strategies reduced total household food waste and avoidable food waste by 31% and 30%, respectively, showing excellent performance. This review highlights the importance of targeted research on consumer behaviour and regional conditions in reducing household food waste, as well as the necessity of working out solutions to household food waste within a common interest community.

Numerous marine oil spill incidents and their environmental catastrophe have raised the concern of the research community and environmental agencies on the topic of the offshore crude oil spill. The oil transport through oil tankers and pipelines has further aggravated the risk of the oil spill. This has led to the necessity to develop an effective, environment-friendly, versatile oil spill clean-up strategy. The current review article analyses various nanotechnology-based methods for marine oil spill clean-up, focusing on their recovery rate, reusability and cost. The authors weighed the three primary factors recovery, reusability and cost distinctively for the analysis based on their significance in various contexts. The findings and analysis suggest that magnetic nanomaterials and nano-sorbent have been the most effective nanotechnology-based marine oil spill remediation techniques, with the magnetic paper based on ultralong hydroxyapatite nanowires standing out with a recovery rate of over 99%. The chitosan-silica hybrid nano-sorbent and multi-wall carbon nanotubes are also promising options with high recovery rates of up to 95-98% and the ability to be reused multiple times. Although the photocatalytic biodegradation approach and the nano-dispersion method do not offer benefits for recovery or reusability, they can nevertheless help lessen the negative ecological effects of marine oil spills. Therefore, careful evaluation and selection of the most appropriate method for each marine oil spill situation is crucial. The current review article provides valuable insights into the current state of nanotechnology-based marine oil spill clean-up methods and their potential applications.

This study aimed at assessing the efficacy of manure amendments in abating ammonia (NH₃) and methane (CH₄) emissions during storage. Two experiments were carried out. Experiment 1 was conducted using 20 L of slurry for 98 days. Treatments were: aluminium sulphate (alum), lactogypsum, zeolite, actiglene, ammonium thiosulphate, biochar, dairy processing waste, Digest-IT and control (without amendment). Experiment 2 was conducted using 660 L of slurry in underground storage tanks for 77 days. Treatments were: sulphuric acid, gypsum, biochar and control (without amendment). NH₃ measurements for experiment 1 and experiment 2 were conducted using the photoacoustic gas monitor and dynamic chamber techniques, respectively. CH₄ was measured using the static chamber technique in both experiments. The effect of amendments on slurry composition was determined at the end of the experiments. Experiment 1 showed a significant reduction in NH₃ emissions in the alum (82%), lactogypsum (46%) and zeolite (32%) treatments relative to the control (100.3% total ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN)). CH₄ was reduced significantly in the alum (87%), ammonium thiosulphate (64%) and lactogypsum (67%) relative to the control (291.9 g m^-2). Experiment 2 showed a significant reduction (32%) in NH₃ emissions in the sulphuric acid relative to the control (4.4% TAN). CH₄ was reduced significantly in the sulphuric acid (46%), gypsum (39%) and biochar (15%) treatments relative to the control (291.9 g m^-2). In general, amendments altered slurry composition such as dry matter, volatile solids, carbon and nitrogen contents at the end of storage. Lactogypsum, alum and sulphuric acid were effective in abating both NH₃ and CH₄ emissions and can contribute to improving air quality.

The sustainable agri-food system is an important sector recognized for promoting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals on food security, resource conservation and climate change mitigation. However, the increasing food loss and waste (FLW) along the supply chains has continued to hinder these goals. This study evaluates the trend of FLW research from 1975 to 2022 and how it promotes the achievement of resource and environmental sustainability in agri-food systems. The salient research themes and hotspots that are of interest to researchers were identified. Bibliometric and network analyses were carried out on scholarly research articles from the Scopus database using bibliometrix and VOSviewer. Furthermore, the content analysis was conducted on the selected highly influential articles containing relevant data to understand the role of FLW in promoting sustainable agri-food systems. The results showed disaggregate and unbalanced research distribution on the impacts of FLW among the countries, with China and the United States having the highest contributions. The identified major research themes relating to sustainable agri-food systems are food waste and sustainable systems, food waste management and food waste impact assessment. Moreover, the circular economy was found to be a relatively new approach being explored in agri-food systems to promote FLW reduction and ensure sustainability of resource use. This study highlights the critical role of the impact of FLW in addressing the grand challenge of food security, resource use efficiency and environmental sustainability.

Effective waste management remains a challenge in global environmental sustainability, underlining the urgent necessity for innovative solutions. This review explored waste management strategies, focusing on the role of P-graph frameworks in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). P-graphs offer a systematic approach across domains including, chemical reaction routes, carbon management networks, economic systems and resource planning to waste management synthesis and planning. Through a systematic search and analysis of relevant P-graph approaches, 28 articles meeting the inclusion criteria were selected for review. The study reveals that P-graph approach is a systematic methodology that can streamline decision-making processes, which ultimately lead to more efficient and effective waste management strategies and solutions. This research also highlighted the absence of previous studies on the application of the P-graph approach to various types of waste, underscoring its significance and originality in the field. This study seeks to advance the achievement of SDGs and promote sustainable waste management practices through the integration of the P-graph framework with waste management solutions.