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Circular Economy in Waste and Wastewaters

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Anthropogenic Circularity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 13321

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Gabriela Ionescu

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Guest Editor

Departement of Energy Production and Use, Faculty of Power Engineering, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Splaiul Independenţei 313, Bucharest, Romania
Interests: integrated waste management; circular economy; waste to energy; renewable energy; energy and environmental sustainability; intermediate bioenergy carriers; environmental impact assessment
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Dr. Roberta Ferrentino

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Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy
Interests: anaerobic digestion; sewage sludge; wastewater treatment; solid waste disposal
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Dr. Michela Langone

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Laboratory Technologies for the Efficient Use and Management of Water and Wastewater, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), via Anguillarese, 301-00123 Roma, Italy
Interests: sustainable wastewater treatments and zero energy concepts; innovative processes for wastewater treatment; biological nutrient removal; anaerobic digestion; excess sludge reduction; circular economy, industrial symbiosis, renewable energy
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Dr. Luigi Petta

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Guest Editor

Laboratory Technologies for the efficient use and management of water and wastewater, , Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), via M.M. Sole 4, 40129, Bologna, Italy.
Interests: zero energy wastewater treatment plants, biological nutrient removal; anaerobic digestion; sludge treatment and disposal, circular economy, industrial symbiosis, renewable energy, water reuse, microplastics and emerging contaminants

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Waste and wastewaters can be an important part of circular sustainability due to the integration of energy production, resource recovery, and efficiency. In the framework of the circular economy principle, products, components, and raw materials should remain in the economy for as long as possible, and waste and wastewaters should be valorized and considered as resources and a source of secondary raw materials that can be recycled, processed, and reused. This will allow the transition from a linear economy based on the “take–make–dispose” system—still in great use today, in which waste is the last stage of the product lifecycle—to the circular economy concept.

In the circular economy, waste and wastewaters would become “ecologically sustainable”, promoting the sustainable management of materials and energy and reducing, as much as possible, the amount of waste generation and, consequently, its disposal. This allows waste to be given a second life, in which part of it is recovered or reused as secondary material.

The aim of this Special Issue, “The Circular Economy of Waste and Wastewaters”, is to present up-to-date innovative research papers focused on technologies, processes, methods, and strategies applied to waste and/or wastewaters that enable the requirements for the circular economy concept to be met.

The Guest Editors invite researchers to submit high-quality articles or comprehensive reviews. Papers selected for publication in this Special Issue will first be subjected to rigorous peer review, with rapid and wide dissemination of results upon acceptance and publication

Dr. Gabriela Ionescu
Dr. Roberta Ferrentino
Dr. Michela Langone
Dr. Luigi Petta
Guest Editors

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.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 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

circular economy
waste
wastewaters
recycling
re-use
re-buy
secondary materials
resource recovery
water reuse
energy recovery
industrial symbiosis

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 1061 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tracking Waste Management Information Disclosure Behavior Connected to Financial Performance through Moderating Variables

by Victoria Bogdan, Claudia Diana Sabău-Popa, Marcel-Ioan Boloș, Dorina-Nicoleta Popa and Mărioara Beleneși

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13068; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph192013068 - 11 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1813

Abstract

The current challenges of a circular economy exert a high pressure on manufacturing companies that generate waste to track and implement policies to reduce them and eliminate the toxicity of residues. Hence, the purpose of this study is to analyze the waste management information disclosure linked to the financial performance of companies and test the moderating effect of internal and external variables. The average waste management information disclosure index shows a poor disclosure score for the analyzed period, however, the waste disclosure index after reaching a minimum threshold in 2019 recorded an encouraging increase at the end of 2021. Applying the fixed effects model, ordinary least squares, and two-stage least squares method, the results revealed a positive and statistically significant relationship between management information disclosure and the return on assets, while for the current ratio the connection has been invalidated. A statistically significant influence of the environmental-sensitive industry status, board size, and productivity on the moderating variables was found for the return on assets, while for current ratio, there was none. As for the alternative metrics of financial performance, the results showed that a higher degree of management information disclosure will increase the return on equity and earnings per share, while in the case of liquidity, the results are not conclusive. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy in Waste and Wastewaters)

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17 pages, 3325 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Circular Economy Approach to Restoring Soil Substrate Ameliorated by Sewage Sludge with Amendments

by Wiktor Halecki, Nuria Aide López-Hernández, Aleksandra Koźmińska, Krystyna Ciarkowska and Sławomir Klatka

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5296; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19095296 - 27 Apr 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1767

Abstract

This study examined the use of an artificial soil substrate in a mine waste reclamation area and its effect on plant metabolic functions. Research was conducted by determining the relationship between the plants’ biochemical features and the properties of plant growth medium derived from post-flotation coal waste, sewage sludge, crushed stone and fly ash on the surface of the mine waste disposal area. Trees and shrubs were established on the material and allowed to grow for eight years. The study determined that the applied plants and the naturally occurring Taraxacum officinale were suitable for physio-biochemical assessment, identification of derelict areas and reclamation purposes. An evaluation of a soil substrate applied to post-mining areas indicated that it was beneficial for plant growth since it activated the metabolic functions of herbaceous plants, shrubs, and trees. The study showed that soil substrate can be targeted to improve plant stress tolerance to potentially toxic elements (PTEs). These data suggest the potential for growth and slower susceptible response to Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn. It is possible that the constructed soil-substitute substrate (biosolid material) would be an effective reclamation treatment in areas where natural soil materials are polluted by PTEs. This observation may reflect a more efficient use of soil substrate released from the cycling of organic biogene pools, in accordance with the circular economy approach. In further studies related to land reclamation using sewage sludge amendments, it would be necessary to extend the research to other stress factors, such as salinity or water deficiency. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy in Waste and Wastewaters)

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21 pages, 715 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How Does Social Capital Affect Residents’ Waste-Separation Behavior? Evidence from China

by Yexin Zhou, Hongke Song, Xiaopei Huang, Hao Chen and Wei Wei

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(6), 3469; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19063469 - 15 Mar 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1889

Abstract

The increasing amount of waste produced has been a challenge for human health and the environment, causing a call for effective waste management measures in which household waste separation is of great significance. Although an expanding body of literature has examined the impact of social capital on individual waste-separation behavior, few studies have explicitly discussed the endogeneity problem and the influence mechanisms. Accordingly, our study investigates the effect of social capital on waste-separation behavior and corresponding mechanisms using a national survey dataset of China. The study also reveals the heterogeneity of the influence of individual characteristics on waste-separation behavior. Our results demonstrate that social capital casts a significant positive impact on waste-separation behavior, providing opportunities for individuals’ social learning and strengthening the reputation effect. The heterogeneous effects of social capital reveal that women, higher-educated individuals, and political party members present better waste-separation behavior. Besides, the impact of social capital varies between urban and rural areas and among different age groups. Our study provides empirical evidence for policy making of household waste-separation management in developing countries from the perspective of informal institutions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy in Waste and Wastewaters)

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25 pages, 3579 KiB

Open AccessArticle

M-GRCT: A Dynamic Circular Economy Model for the Optimal Design of Waste Management Systems in Low-Income Municipalities

by Camilo-A. Vargas-Terranova, Javier Rodrigo-Ilarri, María-Elena Rodrigo-Clavero and Miguel-A. Rozo-Arango

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(5), 2681; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19052681 - 25 Feb 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1830

Abstract

This article introduces M-GRCT, a circular economy decision support model for the design of recyclable waste management systems in low-income municipalities. The model allows for performing calculations on a set of two scenarios integrating a sociocultural dynamics assessment, this being a characteristic feature of this type of municipalities. The model also integrates the analysis of the remaining variables usually addressed in solid waste management schemes while considering topics such as reduction of the carbon footprint due to activities such as the transport of recyclable waste, the generation of leachates, the generation of greenhouse gases and the promotion of an increase in the number of associated recyclers and selective routes. The economic evaluation of the different implementation scenarios is supported by a dynamic tool called DATA4 (a macro-type array accompanied by two control panels programmed in Visual Basic and dashboards by Power BI). M-GRCT constitutes a tool for the promotion of good environmental practices and the identification of strategies for the promotion of local development mechanisms. Results provided by the model contrast with those obtained by traditional linear economy approaches. An illustrative example of the application of the M-GRCT model is shown. The model was used to simulate the municipal solid waste managing system of the municipality of Guateque (Colombia). The results show the importance of integrating both economic and environmental costs to optimally allocate governmental and private resources when the recycling rate is expected to increase in the next 10 years. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy in Waste and Wastewaters)

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13 pages, 636 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Production and Destination of Sewage Sludge in the Piemonte Region (Italy): The Results of a Survey for a Future Sustainable Management

by Giuseppe Campo, Alberto Cerutti, Claudio Lastella, Aldo Leo, Deborah Panepinto, Mariachiara Zanetti and Barbara Ruffino

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(7), 3556; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18073556 - 30 Mar 2021

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 2636

Abstract

The management of sewage sludge originated from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is an urgent issue. In 2019, the local authority of the Piemonte region started a survey with the aim of collecting recent data concerning wastewater and sludge management in the WWTPs located in its own territory. The survey’s results revealed that 60% of the sludge (51,000 t, as dry substance, d.s.) produced by the local WWTPs was recovered or disposed of outside of the region, and a similar amount of sludge was recovered in agriculture directly or after composting. The increase in the costs to accommodate sewage sludge in recovery or disposal plants, followed to a recent Italian Sentence (27958/2017), and the more and more stringent requirements fixed by lots of European countries for the application of sludge in agriculture, are pushing the Piemonte region authority to re-organize its own network for sludge management, with solutions based onto proximity and diversification. Whether the provisions of the current German legislation are applied in the future also in Italy, approx. 90% of sewage sludge produced into the Piemonte region should be incinerated, with a subsequent step of phosphorous recovery. The new regional plan, according to the Regional Address Deed, should consider a diversification of sludge treatment and recovery practices. On this basis, a need for new plants for around 40,000 t d.s./y could be planned. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy in Waste and Wastewaters)

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Review

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25 pages, 2638 KiB

Open AccessReview

Ferrous Industrial Wastes—Valuable Resources for Water and Wastewater Decontamination

by Ecaterina Matei, Andra Mihaela Predescu, Anca Andreea Șăulean, Maria Râpă, Mirela Gabriela Sohaciu, George Coman, Andrei-Constantin Berbecaru, Cristian Predescu, Dumitru Vâju and Grigore Vlad

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 13951; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph192113951 - 27 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1625

Abstract

Ferrous waste by-products from the metallurgical industry have a high potential for valorization in the context of the circular economy, and can be converted to value-added products used in environmental remediation. This research reviews the latest data available in the literature with a focus on: (i) sources from which these types of iron-based wastes originate; (ii) the types of ferrous compounds that result from different industries; (iii) the different methods (with respect to the circular economy) used to convert them into products applied in water and wastewater decontamination; (iv) the harmful effects ferrous wastes can have on the environment and human health; and (v) the future perspectives for these types of waste. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy in Waste and Wastewaters)

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