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Sustainable Waste Management to Mitigate Global Climate Change

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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 "Environmental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2023) | Viewed by 37147

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jay N. Meegoda

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
Interests: engineering properties of contaminated soils; centrifugal modeling of contaminant transport; micro-mechanics; reuse of contaminated soils; ultrasound research; underground infrastructure initiative; nanobubbles; Sustainable Waste Management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Daniel Jay Watts

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Guest Editor

Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 East Third Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
Interests: environmental impacts of manufacturing; sustainability; interactions of science, technology, and public policy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change is often identified as one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century. Changes in the climate are caused by the build-up of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs). Climate change already contributes to rising sea levels, shrinking glaciers, violent weather events, the spread of infectious diseases, loss in biological diversity and agricultural shifts, and these effects and others can be expected to become even more serious with time. While many factors contribute to this emerging problem, we know that each year, over 100 billion tons of primary materials are extracted and used globally, with only nine per cent being recycled (UNDP, 2019). This material extraction, use, generation and management of waste contribute significantly to climate change. Hence, it is critical to consider sustainability, biomimicry, green chemistry and pollution prevention for material extraction, use, generation and management of waste as key contributors to the mitigation of global climate change.

UNEP, “Global Material Flows and Resource Productivity”, Assessment Report for the UNEP International Resource Panel, United Nations Environment Program, Paris (2019).

Prof. Dr. Jay Meegoda
Dr. Daniel Jay Watts
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

sustainability
climate change
green chemistry
waste management
industrial waste, and municipal solid waste

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3779 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Landfill Gas Exposure on Vegetation in Engineered Landfill Biocover Systems Implemented to Minimize Fugitive Methane Emissions from Landfills

by Dinu S. Attalage, J. Patrick A. Hettiaratchi, Angus Chu, Dinesh Pokhrel and Poornima A. Jayasinghe

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4448; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph20054448 - 02 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1198

Abstract

Engineered landfill biocovers (LBCs) minimize the escape of methane into the atmosphere through biological oxidation. Vegetation plays a crucial role in LBCs and can suffer from hypoxia caused by the displacement of root-zone oxygen due to landfill gas and competition for oxygen with methanotrophic bacteria. To investigate the impact of methane gas on vegetation growth, we conducted an outdoor experiment using eight vegetated flow-through columns filled with a 45 cm mixture of 70% topsoil and 30% compost, planted with three types of vegetation: native grass blend, Japanese millet, and alfalfa. The experiment included three control columns and five columns exposed to methane, as loading rates gradually increased from 75 to 845 gCH₄/m²/d over a period of 65 days. At the highest flux, we observed a reduction of 51%, 31%, and 19% in plant height, and 35%, 25%, and 17% in root length in native grass, Japanese millet, and alfalfa, respectively. The column gas profiles indicated that oxygen concentrations were below the levels required for healthy plant growth, which explains the stunted growth observed in the plants used in this experiment. Overall, the experimental results demonstrate that methane gas has a significant impact on the growth of vegetation used in LBCs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management to Mitigate Global Climate Change)

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15 pages, 3342 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Removal of Inorganic Salts in Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Fly Ash Using a Washing Ejector and Its Application for CO₂ Capture

by Hyunsoo Kim, Oyunbileg Purev, Kanghee Cho, Nagchoul Choi, Jaewon Lee and Seongjin Yoon

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(4), 2306; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19042306 - 17 Feb 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1898

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of washing equipment for inorganic salts, such as NaCl, KCl, and CaClOH, to decontaminate municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSW-IFA). Based on the feature of hydrodynamic cavitation, the device developed in this study (referred to as a ‘washing ejector’) utilizes the cavitation bubbles. A washing ejector was analyzed under a range of conditions, employing as little water as possible. In hydrodynamic cavitation, the increase in fluid pressure with increasing static pressure is mainly attributed to the increase in particle–bubble collisions via the cavitation flow. The results revealed that the fluid pressure influenced the removal of inorganic salts during cavitation in water. This is because during the washing process from the collapse of cavitation bubbles, the release is achieved through the dissolution of inorganic salts weakly bound to the surface. After treatment by a washing ejector, the removal of soluble salts elements such as Cl, Na, and K was reduced by approximately 90%. Removing the inorganic salts in the IFA altered the characteristics of the Ca-related phase, and amorphous CaCO₃ was formed as the cavitation flow reacted with CO₂ in the ambient air. Furthermore, the washing effluent produced by washing IFA was found to be beneficial for CO₂ capture. The washing effluent was enriched with dissolved Ca from the IFA, and the initial pH was the most favorable condition for the formation of CaCO₃; thus, the effluent was sufficient for use as a CO₂ sequestration medium and substitute for the reuse of water. Overall, the process presented herein could be effective for removing soluble salts from IFA, and this process is conducive to utilizing IFA as a resource. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management to Mitigate Global Climate Change)

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Review

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14 pages, 1083 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Impact of COVID-19 on Waste Infrastructure: Lessons Learned and Opportunities for a Sustainable Future

by Poornima A. Jayasinghe, Hamoun Jalilzadeh and Patrick Hettiaratchi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4310; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph20054310 - 28 Feb 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1696

Abstract

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic posed many global challenges, mainly in the healthcare sector; however, the impacts on other vital sectors cannot be overlooked. The waste sector was one of the significantly impacted sectors during the pandemic, as it dramatically changed the dynamics of waste generation. Inadequate waste management practices during COVID-19 shed light on the opportunities for developing systematic, sustainable, and resilient waste infrastructure in the future. This study aimed to exploit the learnings of COVID-19 to identify any potential opportunities in post-pandemic waste infrastructure. A comprehensive review on existing case studies was conducted to understand the waste generation dynamics and the waste management strategies during COVID-19. Infectious medical waste from healthcare facilities had the largest influx of waste compared with non-medical waste from residential and other sectors. This study then identified five key opportunities from a long-term operational perspective: considering healthcare waste sector as a critical area of focus; encouraging the integration and decentralization of waste management facilities; developing systematic and novel approaches and tools for quantifying waste; shifting towards a circular economy approach; and modernizing policies to improve the effectiveness of the post-pandemic waste management infrastructure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management to Mitigate Global Climate Change)

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26 pages, 720 KiB

Open AccessReview

Environmental Sustainability Impacts of Solid Waste Management Practices in the Global South

by Ismaila Rimi Abubakar, Khandoker M. Maniruzzaman, Umar Lawal Dano, Faez S. AlShihri, Maher S. AlShammari, Sayed Mohammed S. Ahmed, Wadee Ahmed Ghanem Al-Gehlani and Tareq I. Alrawaf

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12717; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph191912717 - 05 Oct 2022

Cited by 62 | Viewed by 31199

Abstract

Solid waste management (SWM) is one of the key responsibilities of city administrators and one of the effective proxies for good governance. Effective SWM mitigates adverse health and environmental impacts, conserves resources, and improves the livability of cities. However, unsustainable SWM practices, exacerbated by rapid urbanization and financial and institutional limitations, negatively impact public health and environmental sustainability. This review article assesses the human and environmental health impacts of SWM practices in the Global South cities that are the future of global urbanization. The study employs desktop research methodology based on in-depth analysis of secondary data and literature, including official documents and published articles. It finds that the commonplace SWM practices include mixing household and commercial garbage with hazardous waste during storage and handling. While waste storage is largely in old or poorly managed facilities such as storage containers, the transportation system is often deficient and informal. The disposal methods are predominantly via uncontrolled dumping, open-air incinerators, and landfills. The negative impacts of such practices include air and water pollution, land degradation, emissions of methane and hazardous leachate, and climate change. These impacts impose significant environmental and public health costs on residents with marginalized social groups mostly affected. The paper concludes with recommendations for mitigating the public and environmental health risks associated with the existing SWM practices in the Global South. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management to Mitigate Global Climate Change)

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