Pub Date : 2025-12-08DOI: 10.1016/j.clet.2025.101131
Rawan Alsaqqar, Ahmad Abuelrub
Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (HRES) provide a sustainable and reliable solution for electrification in remote regions while reducing dependence on fossil fuels and minimizing environmental impact. This study develops an integrated optimization framework for designing an HRES composed of photovoltaic generation, diesel backup, and hydrogen storage components. The framework employs the emerging Golden Jackal Optimization (GJO) algorithm and compares its performance with the established Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) method used as a benchmark. The optimization minimizes the Total Net Present Cost (TNPC) while satisfying reliability and renewable energy portion (REP) constraints. Results show that GJO achieves slightly lower TNPC and improved convergence compared to PSO, demonstrating higher efficiency and robustness. Increasing REP from 0.1 to 0.9 enhances system sustainability by significantly reducing CO2 emissions, although it raises TNPC by 39 %. The proposed framework provides a practical and scalable approach for cost-reliable design of hydrogen-integrated hybrid energy systems supporting Jordan's renewable energy goals.
{"title":"Optimization of hybrid renewable energy systems: Reliability, cost, and environmental trade-offs using PSO and GJO algorithms","authors":"Rawan Alsaqqar, Ahmad Abuelrub","doi":"10.1016/j.clet.2025.101131","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clet.2025.101131","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (HRES) provide a sustainable and reliable solution for electrification in remote regions while reducing dependence on fossil fuels and minimizing environmental impact. This study develops an integrated optimization framework for designing an HRES composed of photovoltaic generation, diesel backup, and hydrogen storage components. The framework employs the emerging Golden Jackal Optimization (GJO) algorithm and compares its performance with the established Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) method used as a benchmark. The optimization minimizes the Total Net Present Cost (TNPC) while satisfying reliability and renewable energy portion (REP) constraints. Results show that GJO achieves slightly lower TNPC and improved convergence compared to PSO, demonstrating higher efficiency and robustness. Increasing REP from 0.1 to 0.9 enhances system sustainability by significantly reducing CO<sub>2</sub> emissions, although it raises TNPC by 39 %. The proposed framework provides a practical and scalable approach for cost-reliable design of hydrogen-integrated hybrid energy systems supporting Jordan's renewable energy goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34618,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Engineering and Technology","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101131"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145738401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-08DOI: 10.1016/j.clet.2025.101129
Tina Kegl , Yee Van Fan , Lidija Čuček
The widespread use of plastics has resulted in significant environmental challenges, including pollution, landfill accumulation, and harm to ecosystems and human health. As concerns over plastic waste intensify, biodegradable plastics have emerged as promising alternatives that can decompose under specific conditions and contribute to a circular economy. This review examines how biodegradable plastics can help address these issues, beginning with the distinction between biodegradable polymers, which are long-chain molecules, and biodegradable plastics, which are end-use materials created by blending these polymers with additives and fillers. It explores common biodegradable polymers, their origins, production processes, and key physical and chemical properties. Further, the review covers both the compounding stage, in which polymers and additives are combined, and the subsequent product development and processing steps involved in manufacturing of biodegradable plastics. A criterion is proposed to assess and rank biodegradable plastics based on their biodegradability. The review also discusses applications and the sustainability of their value chains. Key challenges to widespread adoption, such as technological limitations, economic concerns, and environmental or health risks, are highlighted. Finally, the review stresses the importance of advancing biomass cultivation, polymer development, processing techniques, and degradation methods to unlock the full potential of biodegradable plastics. Overall, it emphasizes the need for continued innovation to promote sustainable materials and improve plastic waste management.
{"title":"The role of biodegradable plastics in a sustainable economy: Progress and challenges","authors":"Tina Kegl , Yee Van Fan , Lidija Čuček","doi":"10.1016/j.clet.2025.101129","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clet.2025.101129","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The widespread use of plastics has resulted in significant environmental challenges, including pollution, landfill accumulation, and harm to ecosystems and human health. As concerns over plastic waste intensify, biodegradable plastics have emerged as promising alternatives that can decompose under specific conditions and contribute to a circular economy. This review examines how biodegradable plastics can help address these issues, beginning with the distinction between biodegradable polymers, which are long-chain molecules, and biodegradable plastics, which are end-use materials created by blending these polymers with additives and fillers. It explores common biodegradable polymers, their origins, production processes, and key physical and chemical properties. Further, the review covers both the compounding stage, in which polymers and additives are combined, and the subsequent product development and processing steps involved in manufacturing of biodegradable plastics. A criterion is proposed to assess and rank biodegradable plastics based on their biodegradability. The review also discusses applications and the sustainability of their value chains. Key challenges to widespread adoption, such as technological limitations, economic concerns, and environmental or health risks, are highlighted. Finally, the review stresses the importance of advancing biomass cultivation, polymer development, processing techniques, and degradation methods to unlock the full potential of biodegradable plastics. Overall, it emphasizes the need for continued innovation to promote sustainable materials and improve plastic waste management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34618,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Engineering and Technology","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101129"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-08DOI: 10.1016/j.clet.2025.101135
Thomas Xiong , Guanzheng Chen , Wenyi Cai , Lingyan Zha , Guangliu Xu , Aojiang Wang , Yuan Wei , Xiangyue Lu , Shiwei Wei , Dayi Lai , Jingjin Zhang , Hua Bao
Plant Factories with Artificial Lighting (PFALs) are crucial for year-round, climate-resilient urban agriculture, addressing food security and sustainability challenges. However, the high construction costs and energy demands limit its wide application. In this work, we design and tested a low-cost and energy efficient container farm, through mobile racks with reflective materials, an adaptive environmental control system, and an IoT framework (RS485, Modbus RTU) for automated operation, costing $ 900 m−2 in terms of building area (at a construction cost of $ 12,500 for a 14.09 m2 of building area). This container farm achieves efficient use of light, heat, and water, while providing photoperiod-synchronized environmental control to support leafy greens cultivation. The measured yield over a 50-day trial produced 95 kg of Frillice lettuce across 15.56 m2 of cultivation area with an energy consumption of 43 kWh·day−1 (72 % LEDs, 14 % HVAC, 14 % other) and demonstrated 11.4 L·day−1 water recovery via HVAC condensate (measured during seedling phase only). Our works provide a scalable, cost-effective approach for PFAL deployment, opening up possibilities for sustainable urban food production.
{"title":"Design and development of a low-cost and energy-efficient container farm for leafy greens","authors":"Thomas Xiong , Guanzheng Chen , Wenyi Cai , Lingyan Zha , Guangliu Xu , Aojiang Wang , Yuan Wei , Xiangyue Lu , Shiwei Wei , Dayi Lai , Jingjin Zhang , Hua Bao","doi":"10.1016/j.clet.2025.101135","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clet.2025.101135","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant Factories with Artificial Lighting (PFALs) are crucial for year-round, climate-resilient urban agriculture, addressing food security and sustainability challenges. However, the high construction costs and energy demands limit its wide application. In this work, we design and tested a low-cost and energy efficient container farm, through mobile racks with reflective materials, an adaptive environmental control system, and an IoT framework (RS485, Modbus RTU) for automated operation, costing $ 900 m<sup>−2</sup> in terms of building area (at a construction cost of $ 12,500 for a 14.09 m<sup>2</sup> of building area). This container farm achieves efficient use of light, heat, and water, while providing photoperiod-synchronized environmental control to support leafy greens cultivation. The measured yield over a 50-day trial produced 95 kg of Frillice lettuce across 15.56 m<sup>2</sup> of cultivation area with an energy consumption of 43 kWh·day<sup>−1</sup> (72 % LEDs, 14 % HVAC, 14 % other) and demonstrated 11.4 L·day<sup>−1</sup> water recovery via HVAC condensate (measured during seedling phase only). Our works provide a scalable, cost-effective approach for PFAL deployment, opening up possibilities for sustainable urban food production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34618,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Engineering and Technology","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101135"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145738400","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.clet.2025.101127
Tilia Dahou, Lwhathanysh Urbaez Terrero, Lisa Gribal, Sylvie Valin
In order to facilitate gasification of heterogeneous waste such as solid recovered fuel (SRF), a pre-treatment by hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) is considered. This study uses a model material approach to represent SRF and study its behaviour during HTC, and in particular the hydrochar properties (yield, ash content, LHV, apparent density, carbon concentration, fixed carbon, inorganic content). HTC experiments were conducted at temperatures between 200 and 280 °C on one SRF and seven model materials (waste wood, cardboard, polyethylene, PET, polyamide, PVC and waste tyres) selected to represent the variety of materials and compositions. When comparing HTC behaviours of the resources, various profiles appear: biomass-based, reactive plastics (PET and PVC) and non-reactive plastics (PA, PE, waste tyres), which however show some physical transformations (melting, formation of powder). Results show that HTC of SRF is mainly controlled by the degradation of lignocellulosic molecules (in particular cellulose and hemicellulose), but that degradation is itself enhanced by the increase in acidity induced by the degradation of plastics (PET and PVC). The LHV and C content of SRF hydrochar are higher than those of the initial SRF (increase by 48 and 36 percentage points after HTC at 240 °C, respectively), while fixed carbon is not significantly affected in these conditions. The apparent density is improved (doubled after HTC at 240 °C) due to an increase of the apparent density of most of the model materials, including non-reactive ones. All these changes could be positive for an easier gasification of the hydrochar compared to the initial SRF. Finally, N content is unchanged (it leaves the solid in the same proportions as C), and Cl and S contents decrease, as for model materials.
{"title":"Hydrothermal carbonisation of solid recovered fuel – a model material approach","authors":"Tilia Dahou, Lwhathanysh Urbaez Terrero, Lisa Gribal, Sylvie Valin","doi":"10.1016/j.clet.2025.101127","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clet.2025.101127","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In order to facilitate gasification of heterogeneous waste such as solid recovered fuel (SRF), a pre-treatment by hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) is considered. This study uses a model material approach to represent SRF and study its behaviour during HTC, and in particular the hydrochar properties (yield, ash content, LHV, apparent density, carbon concentration, fixed carbon, inorganic content). HTC experiments were conducted at temperatures between 200 and 280 °C on one SRF and seven model materials (waste wood, cardboard, polyethylene, PET, polyamide, PVC and waste tyres) selected to represent the variety of materials and compositions. When comparing HTC behaviours of the resources, various profiles appear: biomass-based, reactive plastics (PET and PVC) and non-reactive plastics (PA, PE, waste tyres), which however show some physical transformations (melting, formation of powder). Results show that HTC of SRF is mainly controlled by the degradation of lignocellulosic molecules (in particular cellulose and hemicellulose), but that degradation is itself enhanced by the increase in acidity induced by the degradation of plastics (PET and PVC). The LHV and C content of SRF hydrochar are higher than those of the initial SRF (increase by 48 and 36 percentage points after HTC at 240 °C, respectively), while fixed carbon is not significantly affected in these conditions. The apparent density is improved (doubled after HTC at 240 °C) due to an increase of the apparent density of most of the model materials, including non-reactive ones. All these changes could be positive for an easier gasification of the hydrochar compared to the initial SRF. Finally, N content is unchanged (it leaves the solid in the same proportions as C), and Cl and S contents decrease, as for model materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34618,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Engineering and Technology","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101127"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145623839","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.clet.2025.101122
N. Lakshmaiya , T. Raja , D. Yuvarajan
Natural fiber–reinforced composites are attracting attention as sustainable alternatives to synthetic materials, but improving their strength, wear resistance, and water stability remains challenging. The present study focuses on developing silane-treated jute–sisal hybrid fiber-reinforced polyester composites enhanced with plant-derived cellulose microfillers to improve their mechanical, tribological, and hydrophobic performance. The main objective was to strengthen fiber–matrix interfacial bonding and enhance overall composite durability by combining hybrid natural fibers with chemical surface modification. The novelty of this work lies in the integration of silane surface treatment with cellulose microfiller reinforcement, which establishes strong Si–O–Si and Si–O–C bonds that improve adhesion, reduce voids, and minimize water diffusion—an approach not widely reported for hybrid natural fiber composites. The composites were fabricated by hand lay-up with cellulose contents of 0–6 wt%, followed by curing at 120 °C. Among all configurations, the G3 composite (4 wt% cellulose) exhibited the highest tensile strength (115.5 MPa), flexural strength (137.2 MPa), interlaminar shear strength (28.8 MPa), and impact energy (5.16 J), showing a 51 % improvement over the untreated system. The G4 composite (6 wt% cellulose) demonstrated the lowest wear rate (0.38 mm3 N−1 m−1) and coefficient of friction (0.014), while fracture toughness improved by 340 % and energy release rate by 224 % compared with neat polyester. Water absorption decreased to 23.2 %, indicating enhanced interfacial sealing and moisture resistance. The correlation between fiber hybridization, silane bonding, and filler dispersion confirms a strong synergistic effect. The developed composites offer a sustainable, high-strength, and wear-resistant material suitable for lightweight structural and tribological applications in automotive, aerospace, and defense sectors.
{"title":"Effect of silane-treated jute/sisal cellulose reinforcement on the mechanical, tribological, and hydrophobic behavior of polyester composites","authors":"N. Lakshmaiya , T. Raja , D. Yuvarajan","doi":"10.1016/j.clet.2025.101122","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clet.2025.101122","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Natural fiber–reinforced composites are attracting attention as sustainable alternatives to synthetic materials, but improving their strength, wear resistance, and water stability remains challenging. The present study focuses on developing silane-treated jute–sisal hybrid fiber-reinforced polyester composites enhanced with plant-derived cellulose microfillers to improve their mechanical, tribological, and hydrophobic performance. The main objective was to strengthen fiber–matrix interfacial bonding and enhance overall composite durability by combining hybrid natural fibers with chemical surface modification. The novelty of this work lies in the integration of silane surface treatment with cellulose microfiller reinforcement, which establishes strong Si–O–Si and Si–O–C bonds that improve adhesion, reduce voids, and minimize water diffusion—an approach not widely reported for hybrid natural fiber composites. The composites were fabricated by hand lay-up with cellulose contents of 0–6 wt%, followed by curing at 120 °C. Among all configurations, the G3 composite (4 wt% cellulose) exhibited the highest tensile strength (115.5 MPa), flexural strength (137.2 MPa), interlaminar shear strength (28.8 MPa), and impact energy (5.16 J), showing a 51 % improvement over the untreated system. The G4 composite (6 wt% cellulose) demonstrated the lowest wear rate (0.38 mm<sup>3</sup> N<sup>−1</sup> m<sup>−1</sup>) and coefficient of friction (0.014), while fracture toughness improved by 340 % and energy release rate by 224 % compared with neat polyester. Water absorption decreased to 23.2 %, indicating enhanced interfacial sealing and moisture resistance. The correlation between fiber hybridization, silane bonding, and filler dispersion confirms a strong synergistic effect. The developed composites offer a sustainable, high-strength, and wear-resistant material suitable for lightweight structural and tribological applications in automotive, aerospace, and defense sectors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34618,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Engineering and Technology","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101122"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145623840","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Refractory materials are essential for sustaining high-temperature industrial processes, with the steel industry being the largest consumer. This study proposes a comprehensive life cycle assessment framework for refractories in the steel industry, addressing key methodological challenges, particularly those concerning various post-use refractory management strategies. Collecting inventory for refractory production is challenging due to confidentiality concerns and suppliers' reluctance to share information. To overcome this, an innovative method is developed to retrieve essential inventory data from the refractory's product definition. The framework is applied through a case study comparing two magnesia-carbon bricks used for steel ladle slag lining: one produced in China and the other in the Netherlands. Inventories for brick production are derived from the respective product definitions. Results reveal that the Netherlands brick performs better in climate change and acidification, while the Chinese brick shows lower impacts in other assessed categories. Electricity consumption during magnesia production and thermal energy demand for ladle heating are identified as the major environmental hotspots. Energy transition scenarios demonstrate the potential for significant improvements. Replacing national grid electricity and natural gas with renewable electricity and green hydrogen leads to more than 30 % reductions in most impact categories. Climate change impacts, for instance, decrease from 1.89 to 0.97 kg CO2 eq for the Chinese brick and from 1.67 to 0.77 kg CO2 eq for the Netherlands brick. Sensitivity analysis shows that magnesia production strongly influences environmental performance, while uncertainty associated with product-definition-derived data is generally minor.
{"title":"Environmental assessment of refractories in the steel industry: A comprehensive LCA framework with an innovative data retrieval approach","authors":"Md Jubayed , Kinga Malgorzata Klima , Md Rubel , Rinus Siebring , Angélique Léonard","doi":"10.1016/j.clet.2025.101128","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clet.2025.101128","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Refractory materials are essential for sustaining high-temperature industrial processes, with the steel industry being the largest consumer. This study proposes a comprehensive life cycle assessment framework for refractories in the steel industry, addressing key methodological challenges, particularly those concerning various post-use refractory management strategies. Collecting inventory for refractory production is challenging due to confidentiality concerns and suppliers' reluctance to share information. To overcome this, an innovative method is developed to retrieve essential inventory data from the refractory's product definition. The framework is applied through a case study comparing two magnesia-carbon bricks used for steel ladle slag lining: one produced in China and the other in the Netherlands. Inventories for brick production are derived from the respective product definitions. Results reveal that the Netherlands brick performs better in climate change and acidification, while the Chinese brick shows lower impacts in other assessed categories. Electricity consumption during magnesia production and thermal energy demand for ladle heating are identified as the major environmental hotspots. Energy transition scenarios demonstrate the potential for significant improvements. Replacing national grid electricity and natural gas with renewable electricity and green hydrogen leads to more than 30 % reductions in most impact categories. Climate change impacts, for instance, decrease from 1.89 to 0.97 kg CO<sub>2</sub> eq for the Chinese brick and from 1.67 to 0.77 kg CO<sub>2</sub> eq for the Netherlands brick. Sensitivity analysis shows that magnesia production strongly influences environmental performance, while uncertainty associated with product-definition-derived data is generally minor.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34618,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Engineering and Technology","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101128"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145658877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.clet.2025.101095
Amir Mohammad Norouzzadeh , Seyed Pendar Toufighi , Abolfazl Edalatipour , Jan Vang , Mooud Dabaghiroodsari
{"title":"Corrigendum to “Enhancing construction supply chain sustainability: The synergistic role of big data analytics and organizational culture using SEM” [Clean. Eng. Technol. 27 (2025) 101025]","authors":"Amir Mohammad Norouzzadeh , Seyed Pendar Toufighi , Abolfazl Edalatipour , Jan Vang , Mooud Dabaghiroodsari","doi":"10.1016/j.clet.2025.101095","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clet.2025.101095","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":34618,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Engineering and Technology","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101095"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733346","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.clet.2025.101120
Kristijan Brglez , Rebeka Kovačič Lukman , Roman Gumzej
The European Union (EU) has implemented several strategies, including the zero-waste initiative, to minimize waste generation and enhance resource efficiency. Slovenia demonstrates this policy with the “Zero Waste Municipalities” project, which has shown notable success, but also highlights opportunities for further improvement. This study assesses the effectiveness of zero-waste initiatives and municipal solid waste management (MSWM) strategies across Slovenian municipalities using Material Flow Analysis (MFA) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). MFA results from eight municipalities indicate that biowaste (averaging 42.49 %) and paper (21.78 %) constitute the largest fractions of collected municipal waste. LCA results highlight that, on a per capita basis, environmental impacts in urban areas are generally lower than in rural areas for glass, wood, biowaste, and plastic waste streams, but higher for metal and paper. Scenario modelling for Ljubljana demonstrates that meeting the EU recycling targets for 2025 and 2030 would lead to substantial reductions in environmental impacts—especially in terms of Global Warming Potential (GWP) and Abiotic Depletion Potential (ADP). Specifically, achieving the 2030 targets could reduce CO2 emissions from paper, plastic, and wood waste by 52 %, 25 %, and 77 %, respectively, compared to current baseline recycling ratios. The integration of MFA and LCA provides a comprehensive and quantitative assessment and insight into current waste management practices in Slovenian municipalities, accelerating a transition towards zero waste and circular municipalities. The findings offer valuable information for decision-makers, researchers and stakeholders aligning local waste management strategies with broader EU objectives.
{"title":"Zero waste initiatives in Slovenian municipalities: A material flow and life cycle assessment analyses","authors":"Kristijan Brglez , Rebeka Kovačič Lukman , Roman Gumzej","doi":"10.1016/j.clet.2025.101120","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clet.2025.101120","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The European Union (EU) has implemented several strategies, including the zero-waste initiative, to minimize waste generation and enhance resource efficiency. Slovenia demonstrates this policy with the “Zero Waste Municipalities” project, which has shown notable success, but also highlights opportunities for further improvement. This study assesses the effectiveness of zero-waste initiatives and municipal solid waste management (MSWM) strategies across Slovenian municipalities using Material Flow Analysis (MFA) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). MFA results from eight municipalities indicate that biowaste (averaging 42.49 %) and paper (21.78 %) constitute the largest fractions of collected municipal waste. LCA results highlight that, on a per capita basis, environmental impacts in urban areas are generally lower than in rural areas for glass, wood, biowaste, and plastic waste streams, but higher for metal and paper. Scenario modelling for Ljubljana demonstrates that meeting the EU recycling targets for 2025 and 2030 would lead to substantial reductions in environmental impacts—especially in terms of Global Warming Potential (GWP) and Abiotic Depletion Potential (ADP). Specifically, achieving the 2030 targets could reduce CO<sub>2</sub> emissions from paper, plastic, and wood waste by 52 %, 25 %, and 77 %, respectively, compared to current baseline recycling ratios. The integration of MFA and LCA provides a comprehensive and quantitative assessment and insight into current waste management practices in Slovenian municipalities, accelerating a transition towards zero waste and circular municipalities. The findings offer valuable information for decision-makers, researchers and stakeholders aligning local waste management strategies with broader EU objectives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34618,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Engineering and Technology","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101120"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145623837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.clet.2025.101121
Micheline Maia Teixeira , Luiz Fernando Rodrigues Pinto , Valquíria Demarchi Arns , Angelino dos Santos Ernesto , Geraldo Cardoso de Oliveira Neto , Marlene Amorim , Francesco Facchini
Ensuring transparency in textile production, particularly in addressing environmental and social issues, has driven the development of technologies such as smart tags, encrypted labels, blockchain, and fibre DNA. However, full traceability from raw material extraction to the finished product remains a challenge, especially due to chemically aggressive processes like dyeing and washing. This study adopted a case study approach to evaluate a yarn tracking technology that embeds a code directly into the textile product, remaining functional throughout its life cycle. The assessment combined technical tests, payback-based economic analysis, and environmental evaluation using the Mass Intensity Total (MIT) metric. Conducted in a Brazilian textile company, the study validated the coding system's durability and feasibility. The code remained readable after industrial processing, enabling traceability across all process stages. Results revealed annual cost saving of USD 5639.00 and a payback period of approximately 5.4 years. The implementation also led to a reduction of 8.5 million kilograms in MIT, indicating substantial environmental benefits. The system facilitates the identification of leftover fabric cuts, supporting waste reduction and material conservation. Additionally, by geolocating production steps, it helps monitor working conditions and mitigate risks of labour analogous to slavery. By ensuring durable, embedded traceability, this research advances biopolymer tracking and contributes to more transparent, circular, and socially responsible practices in the textile sector. The adoption of this technology may assist companies in aligning operations with transparency goals, legal compliance, and sustainability standards.
{"title":"Advantages of natural polymer yarn encoding technology for traceability in the textile industry","authors":"Micheline Maia Teixeira , Luiz Fernando Rodrigues Pinto , Valquíria Demarchi Arns , Angelino dos Santos Ernesto , Geraldo Cardoso de Oliveira Neto , Marlene Amorim , Francesco Facchini","doi":"10.1016/j.clet.2025.101121","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.clet.2025.101121","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ensuring transparency in textile production, particularly in addressing environmental and social issues, has driven the development of technologies such as smart tags, encrypted labels, blockchain, and fibre DNA. However, full traceability from raw material extraction to the finished product remains a challenge, especially due to chemically aggressive processes like dyeing and washing. This study adopted a case study approach to evaluate a yarn tracking technology that embeds a code directly into the textile product, remaining functional throughout its life cycle. The assessment combined technical tests, payback-based economic analysis, and environmental evaluation using the Mass Intensity Total (MIT) metric. Conducted in a Brazilian textile company, the study validated the coding system's durability and feasibility. The code remained readable after industrial processing, enabling traceability across all process stages. Results revealed annual cost saving of USD 5639.00 and a payback period of approximately 5.4 years. The implementation also led to a reduction of 8.5 million kilograms in MIT, indicating substantial environmental benefits. The system facilitates the identification of leftover fabric cuts, supporting waste reduction and material conservation. Additionally, by geolocating production steps, it helps monitor working conditions and mitigate risks of labour analogous to slavery. By ensuring durable, embedded traceability, this research advances biopolymer tracking and contributes to more transparent, circular, and socially responsible practices in the textile sector. The adoption of this technology may assist companies in aligning operations with transparency goals, legal compliance, and sustainability standards.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34618,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Engineering and Technology","volume":"29 ","pages":"Article 101121"},"PeriodicalIF":6.5,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145623838","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-27DOI: 10.1016/j.clet.2025.101123
Óscar Crespo , Mehrez Hermassi , Oriol Gibert , Jordi Cama , José Luis Cortina
This study focuses on the recovery of rare earth elements (REEs) from acid mine water (AMW) through a two-step selective process, which consists of a selective extraction with ion exchange followed by a precipitation stage using oxalic acid. Optimization of the effective REE recovery from sulphuric ion-exchange concentrates results in sustainable AMW management, providing a secondary resource for critical metals towards green transition. Experimental results indicate that (1) the use of oxalic acid facilitates the formation of REE-oxalate crystals, yielding recovery efficiencies in light rare earth elements (LREEs) much higher than for heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) at specific excess doses, and that (2) LREEs act as precursors for HREE precipitation. Moreover, REE-oxalate crystallization depends on the oxalic acid dose, pH, and precipitation time (PT). The longer the PT, the larger the crystals, which are economically advantageous. The study highlights that AMW is a potential secondary source for the REE recovery, which contributes to sustainable mining practices and provides confidence for further optimization of REE recovery processes.
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