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Waste Management and Circular Economy in Regional Development and Planning

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "B: Energy and Environment".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (18 February 2022) | Viewed by 12225

Special Issue Editor

Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization, Polish Academy of Sciences,Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warszawa, Poland
Interests: economic geography; circular economy; local development; knowledge transfer; governance

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A resource-efficient Europe can only be achieved if the circular economy is developed and implemented in a systemic way and on a large scale. To realize this, urban and regional circular design solutions are needed. Effective implementation requires a policy mix that optimizes synergies and addresses trade-offs between different areas and policies. Thus, local authorities, citizens, and other stakeholders need a collaborative and science-informed decision environment that allows for developing different waste and resource management options and assessing their impacts on environmental resilience, spatial quality, and quality of life. Understanding the concept of the circular economy requires understanding the relationships between socioeconomic and environmental dynamics and the built environment, making the concept of the circular economy more applicable. Therefore, innovation is needed on the topics of integration of dynamic resource flow modeling, resource allocation together with urban and regional planning and design, and human behavioral aspects. The Special Issue concerns cases from different countries and regions with various challenges, determinants, and constraints and aims to bring together papers on the different aspects of implementing waste management and circular economy on a national, regional, and local scale, focusing on identifying wastescapes and examining resource flows in relation to spatial development challenges. These aspects concern mapping wastescapes to show evidence of the negative consequences of the linear economy, developing decision support models for the implementation of circular design solutions, policy and governance challenges, research methodology and knowledge transfer, and social issues regarding public acceptance and demographic determinants.

Prof. Dr. Konrad Czapiewski
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Waste flows
  • Waste management
  • Circular economy
  • Regional planning
  • Social awareness

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 8578 KiB  
Article
Energy Production from Biodegradable Waste as an Example of the Circular Economy
by Marta Szyba and Jerzy Mikulik
Energies 2022, 15(4), 1269; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15041269 - 09 Feb 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3670
Abstract
A growing population, technological progress and economic development result in a constant increase in energy demand. Energy is mostly obtained from fossil energy resources such as coal, natural gas, and crude oil. Burning them leads to air pollution with greenhouse gases (CO2 [...] Read more.
A growing population, technological progress and economic development result in a constant increase in energy demand. Energy is mostly obtained from fossil energy resources such as coal, natural gas, and crude oil. Burning them leads to air pollution with greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, NH3 and N2O) and dust (PM2.5 and PM10). They are recognized as the cause of global warming and air pollution. Wind, water, solar and biomass energy are used to eliminate harmful emissions. The latter may come from special plant crops or from biodegradable waste from farming, animal husbandry, the agrifood industry and households. These wastes are transformed into biogas in biogas plants, the basic ingredient of which is methane. Most often, biogas is burned in a cogeneration process, providing electricity and heat. After purification of admixtures, it can be injected into the high-methane gas network or converted into hydrogen in the steam reforming process. In this way, environmentally harmful waste becomes a raw material for energy production, which is an example of a circular economy. The article discusses the functioning of biogas plants in selected EU countries. The current biogas production in Poland was assessed and compared with the production potential of dairy farms. The aim of this article was to show that the production of biogas reduces the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and the electricity produced from it is not burdened with the cost of purchasing CO2 emission allowances applicable in the EU. Full article
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20 pages, 1585 KiB  
Article
(Circular) Path Dependence—The Role of Vineyards in Land Use, Society and Regional Development—The Case of Lubuskie Region (Poland)
by Pamela Jeziorska-Biel, Katarzyna Leśniewska-Napierała and Konrad Czapiewski
Energies 2021, 14(24), 8425; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14248425 - 14 Dec 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1842
Abstract
The main goals of the article are: (a) presentation of the wine traditions of the region in the context of the concept of path dependence and wastescapes, as well as their impact on the spatial, social and promotional aspect of wine making; (b) [...] Read more.
The main goals of the article are: (a) presentation of the wine traditions of the region in the context of the concept of path dependence and wastescapes, as well as their impact on the spatial, social and promotional aspect of wine making; (b) identification and characteristics of the vineyards in Lubuskie Region in 2021; and (c) linking wine traditions with creating the identity of the region and implementing activities supporting its development. A case study was performed in accordance with the triangulation of research methods and techniques: (1) analysis of existing data and relating them to the activities of vineyards; (2) covert participant observation technique; and (3) qualitative field interviews with vineyard owners or managers. The vineyards of the Lubuskie Region are an important tourist attraction and local wines enrich the local food offers. However, the scale of production, still being rather small, comes with higher costs of obtaining the final product. At the social level, wine-growing activity presents a great deal of value and importance, and appears to be a reflection of positive endeavours. Wine making in the region is a complex example of contemporary cultural and social processes that are only just beginning to be observed in area. Full article
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20 pages, 2878 KiB  
Article
Assessing and Improving the Eco-Efficiency of Manufacturing: Learning and Challenges from a Polish Case Study
by Magdalena Rybaczewska-Błażejowska and Aneta Masternak-Janus
Energies 2021, 14(23), 8125; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14238125 - 03 Dec 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1635
Abstract
Manufacturing offers substantial opportunities for economic growth after COVID-19, as long as it delivers competitively priced goods while simultaneously reducing pressure on the environment. In this study, we present the methodological feasibility of the joint application of life cycle assessment (LCA) and data [...] Read more.
Manufacturing offers substantial opportunities for economic growth after COVID-19, as long as it delivers competitively priced goods while simultaneously reducing pressure on the environment. In this study, we present the methodological feasibility of the joint application of life cycle assessment (LCA) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) for assessing eco-efficiency at the sector level. We employ this methodology to assess the environmental profiles of manufacturing in Poland in relation to their gross value added, and subsequently calculate the improvement targets for the eco-inefficient manufacturing industries. The study reveals that only the chemical industry is relatively eco-efficient, whereas the remaining industries have considerable room for improvement due to their very low eco-efficiency, and thus should follow the best practices established by the chemical industry. Although there are always individual paths for manufacturing industries to achieve the decoupling of economic growth from environmental pressure, activities such as the transformation of manufacturing methods to be less energy and material intensive and/or to be low-emission, the reincorporation of waste into the manufacturing processes, and the implementation of environmental management systems should become common targets of manufacturing in Poland. Full article
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11 pages, 3753 KiB  
Article
The Problem of Smog-Particle Removal in Large Cities—Experimental Analysis of Some Filtration Materials
by Adam Ruciński, Andrzej Grzebielec, Maciej Jaworski, Rafał Laskowski, Grzegorz Niewiński, Adam Baryłka and Artur Rusowicz
Energies 2021, 14(23), 8012; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14238012 - 30 Nov 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1433
Abstract
Air pollution is a significant problem in city centers. According to public health care in Poland, there is a need for local authorities to propose good purification solutions in both outdoor and indoor conditions. The main objective of this study is the development [...] Read more.
Air pollution is a significant problem in city centers. According to public health care in Poland, there is a need for local authorities to propose good purification solutions in both outdoor and indoor conditions. The main objective of this study is the development of an appropriate filtration system for public transport, especially for buses and bus stops. Firstly, the authors justify the need for air filtration in the capital of Poland, Warsaw. The average concentration level of PM10 and PM2.5 dust particles in large Polish cities is presented. In addition, it is underlined that PM2.5 dust particles are carriers for coronavirus COVID-19 and easily inhaled by humans. In the next step, the authors introduce an experimental stand used in the examination of different filtration baffles. The filtration efficiency is defined and calculated according to experimental examinations. In these experiments, an antismog cover for air-conditioning split systems, an H13 HEPA filter and a three-stage filtration baffle (active carbon + F5 filter + EPA11 filter) were taken into consideration, and the efficiency of filtration under pressure-drop conditions and the influence of moisture were ascertained. The best filter setup was thereby determined to be the three-stage filtration baffle, being the most efficient in cleaning air on account of having the smallest mass concentration of PM2.5. This indicates that three-stage filtration is the most suitable air-filtration method for public transportation in cities where air pollution is a serious concern. Full article
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Review

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16 pages, 1982 KiB  
Review
Technological, Economic, Social and Environmental Barriers to Adoption of Small-Scale Biogas Plants: Case of Indonesia
by Ricardo Situmeang, Jana Mazancová and Hynek Roubík
Energies 2022, 15(14), 5105; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15145105 - 13 Jul 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2731
Abstract
By 2025, biogas is estimated to become a larger part of Indonesia’s energy mix. Biogas is a renewable energy source that also has economic and environmental advantages. Domestic biogas generation has been embraced in Indonesia as a response to the country’s energy security [...] Read more.
By 2025, biogas is estimated to become a larger part of Indonesia’s energy mix. Biogas is a renewable energy source that also has economic and environmental advantages. Domestic biogas generation has been embraced in Indonesia as a response to the country’s energy security concerns in rural areas. Since the 1970s, 48,038 biogas plants have been built in the region. To fully develop this technology, Indonesia must discontinue relying on fossil fuels and substitute current fossil-fuel-based energy. This article provides an overview of renewable technology in Indonesia, as well as addressing domestic energy demands and referring to existing literature on the socio-technical and socio-economic barriers to biogas adoption in Indonesia. Based on a rigorous review of 71 publications published in Web of Science (WoS) between 2010 and 2021, this study explores existing barriers for biogas adoption by summarizing the current literature from technical, economic, social and environmental perspectives. Biogas adoption is a complex process with many interwoven components. Therefore, this research addresses a gap in the strategic planning and implementation process, providing policymakers with pathways to eliminate bottlenecks in renewable energy planning. Recommendations for future research are also proposed. Full article
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