Pub Date : 2024-12-26DOI: 10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.017
Hope Johnson , Katherine Keane , Laura McGillivray , Afshin Akhtar-Khavari , Lewis Chambers , Christopher Barner-Kowollik , Mark Lauchs , James Blinco
Regulators worldwide are considering how to significantly improve the regulation of plastic packaging in response to the world's plastic pollution crisis and the future UN treaty on plastics. In Australia, where plastic packaging regulations have remained largely unchanged for over two decades, the government now aims to introduce comprehensive reforms. This study, which brings together a team of chemists and lawyers, seeks to understand the key reform options and the ways in which these interventions should be designed to ensure accountability and sustainability and avoid unintended consequences. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with twenty-six (26) stakeholders within the plastic packaging sector from leading government, industry and civil society bodies. A qualitative analysis was conducted of the interviews to identify common ground among stakeholders regarding reform options and to develop an understanding of the various issues regulators would need to consider when developing new regulations for plastic packaging. This qualitative component was interlinked to a regulatory analysis of both the broad trends in laws and policies for plastic packaging worldwide and Australia's existing regulatory responses to plastic packaging. Results show that stakeholders commonly agree on several regulatory interventions, but that each intervention brings a host of complexities within the current system that regulators will need to address to ensure success. This paper's findings are valuable for actors seeking to improve plastic packaging regulation within their own jurisdiction.
{"title":"Reforming plastic packaging regulation: Outcomes from stakeholder interviews and regulatory analysis","authors":"Hope Johnson , Katherine Keane , Laura McGillivray , Afshin Akhtar-Khavari , Lewis Chambers , Christopher Barner-Kowollik , Mark Lauchs , James Blinco","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.017","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.017","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Regulators worldwide are considering how to significantly improve the regulation of plastic packaging in response to the world's plastic pollution crisis and the future UN treaty on plastics. In Australia, where plastic packaging regulations have remained largely unchanged for over two decades, the government now aims to introduce comprehensive reforms. This study, which brings together a team of chemists and lawyers, seeks to understand the key reform options and the ways in which these interventions should be designed to ensure accountability and sustainability and avoid unintended consequences. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with twenty-six (26) stakeholders within the plastic packaging sector from leading government, industry and civil society bodies. A qualitative analysis was conducted of the interviews to identify common ground among stakeholders regarding reform options and to develop an understanding of the various issues regulators would need to consider when developing new regulations for plastic packaging. This qualitative component was interlinked to a regulatory analysis of both the broad trends in laws and policies for plastic packaging worldwide and Australia's existing regulatory responses to plastic packaging. Results show that stakeholders commonly agree on several regulatory interventions, but that each intervention brings a host of complexities within the current system that regulators will need to address to ensure success. This paper's findings are valuable for actors seeking to improve plastic packaging regulation within their own jurisdiction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"54 ","pages":"Pages 52-63"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143158667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-12-26DOI: 10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.012
M. Imran Khan , Tabassam Yasmeen , Mushtaq Khan , Noor Ul Hadi , Muhammad Asif , Muhammad Farooq , Sami G. Al-Ghamdi
The Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0), characterized by the integration of advanced digital technologies and intelligent systems, presents a transformative opportunity for achieving sustainable manufacturing. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of how Industry 4.0 technologies, such as artificial intelligence, the Industrial Internet of Things, blockchain, digital twins, big data analytics, advanced robotics, and additive manufacturing, can be leveraged to foster environmentally responsible, socially equitable, and economically viable industrial practices. The study examines the impact of these technologies across diverse industrial sectors and evaluates their effects on the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic, and social. Specifically, the study identifies the manufacturing processes that most benefit from Industry 4.0, including resource efficiency, waste minimization, and supply chain optimization. It identifies key areas of manufacturing that stand to benefit, such as resource efficiency, waste reduction, and supply chain optimization. The analysis reveals that the enhanced connectivity and real-time data processing capabilities of Industry 4.0 technologies - such as real-time data acquisition, predictive maintenance and closed-loop manufacturing - improve supply chain transparency, enhance operational efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and promote the circular economy - leading to positive economic, and environmental outcomes. These advancements drive positive social outcomes, including improved workforce safety, the creation of new skill-based jobs, and more equitable access to digital infrastructure. However, the study also highlights that while these technologies can improve resource efficiency and reduce environmental impacts, their widespread implementation may also intensify social challenges, such as job displacement and inequality, and exacerbate environmental trade-offs, particularly in energy consumption. To navigate these complexities, the study proposes an integrative framework that encompasses technological, cultural, and policy dimensions, providing a valuable roadmap for aligning Industry 4.0 advancements with robust governance mechanisms and fostering a culture of sustainability within organizations and society at large.
{"title":"Integrating industry 4.0 for enhanced sustainability: Pathways and prospects","authors":"M. Imran Khan , Tabassam Yasmeen , Mushtaq Khan , Noor Ul Hadi , Muhammad Asif , Muhammad Farooq , Sami G. Al-Ghamdi","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0), characterized by the integration of advanced digital technologies and intelligent systems, presents a transformative opportunity for achieving sustainable manufacturing. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of how Industry 4.0 technologies, such as artificial intelligence, the Industrial Internet of Things, blockchain, digital twins, big data analytics, advanced robotics, and additive manufacturing, can be leveraged to foster environmentally responsible, socially equitable, and economically viable industrial practices. The study examines the impact of these technologies across diverse industrial sectors and evaluates their effects on the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic, and social. Specifically, the study identifies the manufacturing processes that most benefit from Industry 4.0, including resource efficiency, waste minimization, and supply chain optimization. It identifies key areas of manufacturing that stand to benefit, such as resource efficiency, waste reduction, and supply chain optimization. The analysis reveals that the enhanced connectivity and real-time data processing capabilities of Industry 4.0 technologies - such as real-time data acquisition, predictive maintenance and closed-loop manufacturing - improve supply chain transparency, enhance operational efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and promote the circular economy - leading to positive economic, and environmental outcomes. These advancements drive positive social outcomes, including improved workforce safety, the creation of new skill-based jobs, and more equitable access to digital infrastructure. However, the study also highlights that while these technologies can improve resource efficiency and reduce environmental impacts, their widespread implementation may also intensify social challenges, such as job displacement and inequality, and exacerbate environmental trade-offs, particularly in energy consumption. To navigate these complexities, the study proposes an integrative framework that encompasses technological, cultural, and policy dimensions, providing a valuable roadmap for aligning Industry 4.0 advancements with robust governance mechanisms and fostering a culture of sustainability within organizations and society at large.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"54 ","pages":"Pages 149-189"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143159338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-12-26DOI: 10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.015
Endrit Hoxha , Harpa Birgisdottir , Martin Röck
Knowledge about and the management of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the production and processing of building materials play a critical role in mitigating the construction sector's climate impact. However, crucial data on the GHG emissions intensity of various construction products remain challenging for practitioners and researchers to access, as it is scattered across decentralized databases. This study compiles and analyses GHG emissions data for construction products from the 27 European Union (EU-27) member states. A unified database was developed by aggregating Global Warming Potential (GWP) scores from publicly available Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). Descriptive statistics were applied to analyse GWP results across four regions and each EU-27 country by categorizing construction products into various distinct groups. The study demonstrates the feasibility of consolidating building materials and products into twelve distinct categories. Among these materials, aluminium exhibits the highest GWP average score at 21 kg CO2e/kg, while concrete has the lowest at 0.09 kg CO2e/kg. Most variation coefficients fall within the range of 33 % to 80 %. Overall, the raw material supply stage (A1) contributes 80 % of the total GWP, followed by transport (A2) at 1 %, production (A3) at 7 %, transport (A4) at 3 %, construction (A5) at 3 %, the use phase (B1-B3) at less than 1 %, waste processing (C3) at 1 %, and disposal (C4) at 3 %. The findings of this study are critical for modelling the embodied and whole life-cycle GHG emissions of buildings and building stocks across Europe.
{"title":"Climate IMPACT of EU building materials: Data compilation and statistical analysis of global warming potential in environmental product declarations","authors":"Endrit Hoxha , Harpa Birgisdottir , Martin Röck","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.015","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Knowledge about and the management of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the production and processing of building materials play a critical role in mitigating the construction sector's climate impact. However, crucial data on the GHG emissions intensity of various construction products remain challenging for practitioners and researchers to access, as it is scattered across decentralized databases. This study compiles and analyses GHG emissions data for construction products from the 27 European Union (EU-27) member states. A unified database was developed by aggregating Global Warming Potential (GWP) scores from publicly available Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). Descriptive statistics were applied to analyse GWP results across four regions and each EU-27 country by categorizing construction products into various distinct groups. The study demonstrates the feasibility of consolidating building materials and products into twelve distinct categories. Among these materials, aluminium exhibits the highest GWP average score at 21 kg CO2e/kg, while concrete has the lowest at 0.09 kg CO2e/kg. Most variation coefficients fall within the range of 33 % to 80 %. Overall, the raw material supply stage (A1) contributes 80 % of the total GWP, followed by transport (A2) at 1 %, production (A3) at 7 %, transport (A4) at 3 %, construction (A5) at 3 %, the use phase (B1-B3) at less than 1 %, waste processing (C3) at 1 %, and disposal (C4) at 3 %. The findings of this study are critical for modelling the embodied and whole life-cycle GHG emissions of buildings and building stocks across Europe.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"54 ","pages":"Pages 64-74"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143158670","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-12-26DOI: 10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.018
Abdul Rehman , Shan Zhong , Daolin Du , Xiaojun Zheng , Muhammad Saleem Arif , Samra Ijaz , Muhammad Raza Farooq
A growing web of microplastic pollution and a long human love affair with plastic use could leave a hidden legacy that silently suffocates the ecological balance and disrupts the soil-plant nexus. Therefore, the present systematic review aims to provide an updated understanding on microplastics transformation in soil via various degradation mechanisms affecting nutrient dynamics and plant health, with important perspectives for future research. A query comprising of potent keywords was run on pronounced databases, and retrieved records were screened out using PRISMA guidelines considering recent research advances. Microplastics are persistent and take a long time to degrade due to their polymeric structure. However, photochemical and microbial degradation remained in the foreground, whereby the degradation of microplastics by fungi is estimated to be higher than the bacteria. The presence of microplastics favors increased microbial activity and altered soil physicochemical properties, which can disrupt nutrient dynamics. Despite slow mineralization, microplastics containing a considerable amount of carbon can alter the C/N ratio and microbial interaction. Microplastics led to a notable rise in the diversity of soil microbes responsible for N-fixation and P-solubilization. Furthermore, plant health can also be directly affected by the uptake of secondary microplastics via roots or stomata and/or indirectly by microplastic-induced alteration in soil properties, microbial activities, and/or nutrient dynamics. The ecotoxicity of microplastics may depend on the type of soil, polymer, and plant species types, but clear effects on growth parameters, photosynthesis, the antioxidant system, and enzymatic activities. Finally, research gaps are highlighted as an outlook for future studies on the complexity of soil ecosystems, plant health, and food security in response to microplastics pollution.
{"title":"Unveiling the microplastics degradation and its transformative effects on soil nutrient dynamics and plant health – A systematic review","authors":"Abdul Rehman , Shan Zhong , Daolin Du , Xiaojun Zheng , Muhammad Saleem Arif , Samra Ijaz , Muhammad Raza Farooq","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.018","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A growing web of microplastic pollution and a long human love affair with plastic use could leave a hidden legacy that silently suffocates the ecological balance and disrupts the soil-plant nexus. Therefore, the present systematic review aims to provide an updated understanding on microplastics transformation in soil via various degradation mechanisms affecting nutrient dynamics and plant health, with important perspectives for future research. A query comprising of potent keywords was run on pronounced databases, and retrieved records were screened out using PRISMA guidelines considering recent research advances. Microplastics are persistent and take a long time to degrade due to their polymeric structure. However, photochemical and microbial degradation remained in the foreground, whereby the degradation of microplastics by fungi is estimated to be higher than the bacteria. The presence of microplastics favors increased microbial activity and altered soil physicochemical properties, which can disrupt nutrient dynamics. Despite slow mineralization, microplastics containing a considerable amount of carbon can alter the C/N ratio and microbial interaction. Microplastics led to a notable rise in the diversity of soil microbes responsible for N-fixation and P-solubilization. Furthermore, plant health can also be directly affected by the uptake of secondary microplastics via roots or stomata and/or indirectly by microplastic-induced alteration in soil properties, microbial activities, and/or nutrient dynamics. The ecotoxicity of microplastics may depend on the type of soil, polymer, and plant species types, but clear effects on growth parameters, photosynthesis, the antioxidant system, and enzymatic activities. Finally, research gaps are highlighted as an outlook for future studies on the complexity of soil ecosystems, plant health, and food security in response to microplastics pollution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"54 ","pages":"Pages 25-42"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143158669","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 : 2024-12-25DOI: 10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.016
Anita Eves , Bora Kim , Charo Hodgkins , Monique Raats , Lada Timotijevic
Domestic ‘Food waste’ is influenced by a complex interplay of contextual and cultural factors and is often preventable. Despite being the largest source of food waste, it remains under-researched and food disposal decisions, even less so. The study employed a realistic scenario-based approach within a questionnaire administered to a nationally representative sample of United Kingdom consumers (n = 2046). It investigated possible influences on food disposal decisions for a variety of foods, including optimistic bias, place attachment, trust in government and food involvement. Results showed that a large proportion of food may be thrown away, including food that, in principle, would be safe to eat. The multifaceted nature of food waste decisions was unveiled, including the significant role of less-studied predictors, including optimistic bias, which 60 % of respondents exhibited. These people were significantly (up to three times) more likely to throw some foods away. Ongoing confusion over the meaning of durability indicators was also shown, suggesting that food waste might result from ill-informed food disposal decisions in the home, vindicating the removal of best-before dates. The need for behaviour-change communications to appropriately benchmark levels of personal food waste was identified, so that people recognise their role in waste production and, thus, can contribute to the United Nations Sustainability Development Goal 12.3 of Responsible Consumption and Production.
{"title":"Is it food or is it waste? Determinants of decisions to throw food away","authors":"Anita Eves , Bora Kim , Charo Hodgkins , Monique Raats , Lada Timotijevic","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.016","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.016","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Domestic ‘Food waste’ is influenced by a complex interplay of contextual and cultural factors and is often preventable. Despite being the largest source of food waste, it remains under-researched and food disposal decisions, even less so. The study employed a realistic scenario-based approach within a questionnaire administered to a nationally representative sample of United Kingdom consumers (<em>n</em> = 2046). It investigated possible influences on food disposal decisions for a variety of foods, including optimistic bias, place attachment, trust in government and food involvement. Results showed that a large proportion of food may be thrown away, including food that, in principle, would be safe to eat. The multifaceted nature of food waste decisions was unveiled, including the significant role of less-studied predictors, including optimistic bias, which 60 % of respondents exhibited. These people were significantly (up to three times) more likely to throw some foods away. Ongoing confusion over the meaning of durability indicators was also shown, suggesting that food waste might result from ill-informed food disposal decisions in the home, vindicating the removal of best-before dates. The need for behaviour-change communications to appropriately benchmark levels of personal food waste was identified, so that people recognise their role in waste production and, thus, can contribute to the United Nations Sustainability Development Goal 12.3 of Responsible Consumption and Production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"54 ","pages":"Pages 43-51"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143158786","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-12-24DOI: 10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.013
Gonzalo Puig-Samper , Mikołaj Owsianiak , Julie Clavreul , Camille Jeandaux , Anne Prieur-Vernat , Natacha Gondran
Assessing the environmental performance of products and systems from an absolute perspective, in relation to the Earth's carrying capacities, is highly uncertain. This is mainly due to value-based choices that must be made to downscale carrying capacities to the assessed activity, often making assessment results highly dependent on one's interpretation of distributive justice. We present a framework for evaluating uncertainties in the downscaling of carrying capacities in absolute environmental sustainability assessment (AESA) of products and systems. The framework considers 19 possible approaches to share carrying capacities, grounded in four theories of distributive justice (like egalitarianism and utilitarianism) and seven enacting metrics, such as final consumption expenditure or prior emissions. Application to French power using the PB-LCIA impact assessment method showed that impact scores were statistically significantly higher than the downscaled carrying capacity (i.e., frequency of no-transgression ≤0.95) in seven out of ten planetary boundaries. For example, the median biosphere integrity impact score with a 90 % uncertainty interval was 0.0081 (0.0047–0.012) % of biodiversity intactness index (BII) loss, as opposed to the median downscaled planetary boundary equal to 0.0032 (0.00032–0.017) % BII loss, corresponding to a frequency of no-transgression equal to 0.21. This highlights the need to consider uncertainty in AESA of products and systems for more robust quantification of their performance, and setting better-grounded reduction targets.
{"title":"Quantifying uncertainties in absolute environmental sustainability assessment: A general framework applied to French electricity production","authors":"Gonzalo Puig-Samper , Mikołaj Owsianiak , Julie Clavreul , Camille Jeandaux , Anne Prieur-Vernat , Natacha Gondran","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Assessing the environmental performance of products and systems from an absolute perspective, in relation to the Earth's carrying capacities, is highly uncertain. This is mainly due to value-based choices that must be made to downscale carrying capacities to the assessed activity, often making assessment results highly dependent on one's interpretation of distributive justice. We present a framework for evaluating uncertainties in the downscaling of carrying capacities in absolute environmental sustainability assessment (AESA) of products and systems. The framework considers 19 possible approaches to share carrying capacities, grounded in four theories of distributive justice (like egalitarianism and utilitarianism) and seven enacting metrics, such as final consumption expenditure or prior emissions. Application to French power using the PB-LCIA impact assessment method showed that impact scores were statistically significantly higher than the downscaled carrying capacity (i.e., frequency of no-transgression ≤0.95) in seven out of ten planetary boundaries. For example, the median biosphere integrity impact score with a 90 % uncertainty interval was 0.0081 (0.0047–0.012) % of biodiversity intactness index (BII) loss, as opposed to the median downscaled planetary boundary equal to 0.0032 (0.00032–0.017) % BII loss, corresponding to a frequency of no-transgression equal to 0.21. This highlights the need to consider uncertainty in AESA of products and systems for more robust quantification of their performance, and setting better-grounded reduction targets.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"54 ","pages":"Pages 12-24"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143159239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-12-23DOI: 10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.011
Joan Muñoz-Liesa , Marina Navarro-Segarra , Miquel Sierra-Montoya , Juan Pablo Esquivel , Laura Talens Peiró
The rapid proliferation of electronic devices underscores the critical role of portable batteries as a source of energy supply. Conventional primary batteries have standard formats with pre-defined energy capacity, rely on the use of non-renewable and scarce materials, and are hardly energy-tailored for efficient energy utilization during their use stage. This paper presents a two-stage ecodesign framework to develop and iteratively improve the environmental performance of primary portable batteries. In the first stage, a battery prototype used as a demonstrator is developed based on the battery functional requirements and material configurations. Once the prototype is defined, in the second stage its potential environmental improvements are first evaluated through a qualitative assessment life cycle criteria by experts, and second quantified through a life cycle assessment. The combination of both methods helps to progressively improve the battery environmental impacts. In this study, we applied this framework and developed two environmentally improved versions. Changes implemented in the first and second iterative versions of the battery reduced the environmental impacts by up to 76% and 92%, respectively, compared to the original battery prototype. These improvements were largely driven by addressing key environmental hotspots, such as the membrane in version 1 and the casing in version 2. When compared to conventional coin-cell batteries, the developed bio-based batteries demonstrate environmental impact reductions by up to 76%, depending on the battery functional requirements. Overall, this cutting-edge ecodesign framework establishes a robust framework for developing future biodegradable portable batteries to integrate into sustainable electronics.
{"title":"Bio-based materials and customized energy supply as key drivers to ecodesign primary portable batteries","authors":"Joan Muñoz-Liesa , Marina Navarro-Segarra , Miquel Sierra-Montoya , Juan Pablo Esquivel , Laura Talens Peiró","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.011","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapid proliferation of electronic devices underscores the critical role of portable batteries as a source of energy supply. Conventional primary batteries have standard formats with pre-defined energy capacity, rely on the use of non-renewable and scarce materials, and are hardly energy-tailored for efficient energy utilization during their use stage. This paper presents a two-stage ecodesign framework to develop and iteratively improve the environmental performance of primary portable batteries. In the first stage, a battery prototype used as a demonstrator is developed based on the battery functional requirements and material configurations. Once the prototype is defined, in the second stage its potential environmental improvements are first evaluated through a qualitative assessment life cycle criteria by experts, and second quantified through a life cycle assessment. The combination of both methods helps to progressively improve the battery environmental impacts. In this study, we applied this framework and developed two environmentally improved versions. Changes implemented in the first and second iterative versions of the battery reduced the environmental impacts by up to 76% and 92%, respectively, compared to the original battery prototype. These improvements were largely driven by addressing key environmental hotspots, such as the membrane in version 1 and the casing in version 2. When compared to conventional coin-cell batteries, the developed bio-based batteries demonstrate environmental impact reductions by up to 76%, depending on the battery functional requirements. Overall, this cutting-edge ecodesign framework establishes a robust framework for developing future biodegradable portable batteries to integrate into sustainable electronics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"54 ","pages":"Pages 202-214"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143158796","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 : 2024-12-19DOI: 10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.008
Amos Wei Lun Lee , Yee Shee Tan , Fu Weijia , Wen Feng Lu , Jonathan Sze Choong Low
In addressing climate change, ecodesign is a pivotal strategy advocating for sustainable products with minimal carbon footprints. However, traditional ecodesign approaches in product redesign often focus on modifying hotspots that may not always reflect the improvement potential or align with the designers' controllable design variables. To optimize ecodesign efforts, this study emphasizes the importance of targeting design variables that exert the most significant environmental sustainability influence on the product. To facilitate such targeted design efforts, an influence assessment was developed to evaluate the environmental sustainability impact of design variables using a four-step framework that adapts Index Decomposition Analysis (IDA). The framework was demonstrated through two redesign scenarios of a handheld fan considering the design tri-factor (choice of material, manufacturing process, and design geometry). In scenario 1, where only the handheld fan's stand was considered, design geometry was identified as the most influential factor in the component's environmental sustainability. In scenario 2, involving four components required to be fabricated from the same material, the material choice was collectively found to exert the greatest influence, even though the stand and battery cover showed alternative design variables with higher influence individually. In both scenarios, the designs generated based on the most influential design variable yielded the lowest carbon emissions among the modifications generated. These results underscore the framework's potential to guide designers towards more effective and sustainable product redesigns.
{"title":"Influence assessment by index decomposition analysis, prioritizing design variable for ecodesign","authors":"Amos Wei Lun Lee , Yee Shee Tan , Fu Weijia , Wen Feng Lu , Jonathan Sze Choong Low","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2024.12.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In addressing climate change, ecodesign is a pivotal strategy advocating for sustainable products with minimal carbon footprints. However, traditional ecodesign approaches in product redesign often focus on modifying hotspots that may not always reflect the improvement potential or align with the designers' controllable design variables. To optimize ecodesign efforts, this study emphasizes the importance of targeting design variables that exert the most significant environmental sustainability influence on the product. To facilitate such targeted design efforts, an influence assessment was developed to evaluate the environmental sustainability impact of design variables using a four-step framework that adapts Index Decomposition Analysis (IDA). The framework was demonstrated through two redesign scenarios of a handheld fan considering the design tri-factor (choice of material, manufacturing process, and design geometry). In scenario 1, where only the handheld fan's stand was considered, design geometry was identified as the most influential factor in the component's environmental sustainability. In scenario 2, involving four components required to be fabricated from the same material, the material choice was collectively found to exert the greatest influence, even though the stand and battery cover showed alternative design variables with higher influence individually. In both scenarios, the designs generated based on the most influential design variable yielded the lowest carbon emissions among the modifications generated. These results underscore the framework's potential to guide designers towards more effective and sustainable product redesigns.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"54 ","pages":"Pages 348-361"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143158790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.spc.2024.11.027
Fen Zhao , Peng Yang , Qingzhu Gao , Lang Xia , Lingling Fan , Mengmeng Hu
Extensive rice expansion in northeast China has significantly altered land use and land cover (LULC) changes. However, the impact of long-term rice expansion on regional carbon budget dynamics remains unclear. A major obstacle in addressing this gap is the absence of agricultural LULC information with high spatiotemporal resolution. Here, we selected the Sanjiang Plain experienced dramatic rice expansion as the study area, presenting a framework that integrates high-resolution crop distribution data with a process-based model to quantify the impact of rice expansion on regional carbon budgets. Specifically, we employed a robust deep-learning network for crop mapping based on Landsat data, to reconstruct the spatiotemporal dynamics of rice expansion from 1985 to 2020. We then incorporated these long-term crop maps into the Denitrification-Decomposition (DNDC) model, to explore the effects of rice expansion on the regional carbon budget over this period. Analysis results showed that the rice planting area expanded by 708.64 km2/yr, resulting in more than a tenfold increase over the past 36 years. Spatially, rice planting expanded from the southwest to the northeast and from the interior to the exterior. This expansion has resulted in approximately 275 Mt. of CO2 and 6.92 Mt. of CH4 greenhouse gas emissions, altering the dynamics of the regional carbon budget and shifting the ecosystem from a carbon sink to a carbon source since 2016. Although the long-term expansion of rice increased soil respiration and CH4 emissions, it also enhanced soil carbon sequestration through agricultural management practices. These findings greatly enhance our understanding of the ecosystem carbon cycle's response to long-term agricultural LULC changes, providing more accurate data support and scientific evidence for developing low-carbon agricultural policies.
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Pub Date : 2024-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.spc.2024.11.026
Kari-Anne Lyng , Hanne Møller , Klaus Mittenzwei , Ivar Pettersen , Jakob Vesterlund Olsen , Hanne Fjerdingby Olsen
The food system significantly impacts the environment and society. This study examined a shift from a continuation of the current trend (policy as usual scenario) towards a biomass value hierarchy scenario, which focused on optimizing land and biomass use and rethinking the role of livestock production. The biomass value hierarchy was based on circular economy principles, the waste hierarchy, and national self-sufficiency, which eliminated feed import and redistributed protein sources in the diet.
A Multi-Criteria Decisions Analysis (MCDA) framework was used to assess the two scenarios across four sustainability dimensions: environmental, social, economic and policy. Environmental and social impacts were analysed using life cycle assessment methodology, while economic and policy implications were explored using partial equilibrium modelling, with the Norwegian food system as a case study.
The results for the environmental dimension indicated that, compared to the policy as usual scenario, the biomass value hierarchy reduced environmental impacts by 8 % to 18 % across the indicators, including climate change, acidification, particulate matter, terrestrial eutrophication and occupation of arable land. Social impacts also improved in categories with the highest social risks, such as equal opportunities for workers, health and safety for farmers, cultural heritage, food security, fair competition, and promoting social responsibility. Contrarily, indicators within the economic dimension revealed reduced profitability, and results within the policy dimension showed a considerable increase in required subsidies, border measures and governmental restrictions on consumption. The study findings indicate that an environmentally and socially sustainable food system is feasible but requires significant political and economic support. Additionally, the study highlights the value of using MCDA when combining different research methods in cross-disciplinary assessments. These results underscore the need for a societal debate on acceptable levels of political intervention and the role of consumers and taxpayers in shaping the future food system.
{"title":"Transforming the food system with a biomass value hierarchy: Sustainability and policy insights","authors":"Kari-Anne Lyng , Hanne Møller , Klaus Mittenzwei , Ivar Pettersen , Jakob Vesterlund Olsen , Hanne Fjerdingby Olsen","doi":"10.1016/j.spc.2024.11.026","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.spc.2024.11.026","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The food system significantly impacts the environment and society. This study examined a shift from a continuation of the current trend (<em>policy as usual</em> scenario) towards a <em>biomass value hierarchy</em> scenario, which focused on optimizing land and biomass use and rethinking the role of livestock production. The <em>biomass value hierarchy</em> was based on circular economy principles, the waste hierarchy, and national self-sufficiency, which eliminated feed import and redistributed protein sources in the diet.</div><div>A Multi-Criteria Decisions Analysis (MCDA) framework was used to assess the two scenarios across four sustainability dimensions: environmental, social, economic and policy. Environmental and social impacts were analysed using life cycle assessment methodology, while economic and policy implications were explored using partial equilibrium modelling, with the Norwegian food system as a case study.</div><div>The results for the environmental dimension indicated that, compared to the <em>policy as usual</em> scenario, the <em>biomass value hierarchy</em> reduced environmental impacts by 8 % to 18 % across the indicators, including climate change, acidification, particulate matter, terrestrial eutrophication and occupation of arable land. Social impacts also improved in categories with the highest social risks, such as equal opportunities for workers, health and safety for farmers, cultural heritage, food security, fair competition, and promoting social responsibility. Contrarily, indicators within the economic dimension revealed reduced profitability, and results within the policy dimension showed a considerable increase in required subsidies, border measures and governmental restrictions on consumption. The study findings indicate that an environmentally and socially sustainable food system is feasible but requires significant political and economic support. Additionally, the study highlights the value of using MCDA when combining different research methods in cross-disciplinary assessments. These results underscore the need for a societal debate on acceptable levels of political intervention and the role of consumers and taxpayers in shaping the future food system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48619,"journal":{"name":"Sustainable Production and Consumption","volume":"52 ","pages":"Pages 602-612"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142746229","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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