The COVID-19 outbreak forced national governments to the adoption of social distancing and movement limitation measures aimed to reduce the diffusion of the virus and to mitigate its highly disruptive impact on the healthcare systems. Reduced income, job insecurity, distribution system interruptions, product shortages, localized price hikes, and time availability resulted in changes in food-related

This article examines the viability of valorizing waste glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) materials extracted from wind-turbine blades (WWTB) — (WWTB-GFRP) — into concrete. A comprehensive material characterization was carried out and the influence of WWTB-GFRP as powder, aggregate, or fiber on concrete performance was investigated. Cement replacement rates of 10–30% were attempted. Coarse aggregate

A precise understanding of product obsolescence is fundamental for extending product lifetimes and promoting a circular economy. Previous studies have revealed that various factors affect product obsolescence other than failure. However, very few studies have quantitatively examined the relationships between these factors and product lifetime. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between

Although cement kiln co-processing (CKC) has been considered an important municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment method in recent years, there however still exist obstacles such as unclear technical feasibility and ambiguous legislation that impede its further development. Addressing these barriers remains difficult as a comprehensive understanding of CKC from an MSW management perspective (which is

One common life cycle assessment (LCA) focus is to understand whether landfill or municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) treatment is more environmentally favorable. Past studies have focused on evaluating which disposal treatment method had the least greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions footprint and in most cases MSWI treatment was more favorable. Surprisingly, several studies reported contrasting results

Wet wipes have become one of the daily necessities for consumers. The spunlace non-woven fabric, whose main raw materials are petroleum-based fibers (mainly polyester fibers) and bio-based fibers (mainly viscose fibers), is the predominant component of wet wipes. The use of wet wipes triggers the increasing plastic consumption and environmental pollution. In the current study, the materials composition

In our built environment, flat glass is an indispensable material. Its production requires the mining of raw materials and the use of fossil fuels and results in the emission of pollutants including CO2. In Western European countries, these emissions have been the target of a series of energy efficiency measures and emission reduction policies since 1945. Beginning with that year, this article studies

Climate mitigation and efficient use of resources in the building sector have become a central issue for sustainable development. Promoting a circular economy and reducing global warming at the same time is an increasingly important challenge for construction, demolition and recycling of buildings. This study assesses the greenhouse gas emissions in relation to the resource use of recycled concrete

In their efforts to implement a circular economy (CE) for lithium-ion batteries (LIB) in electric vehicles, automotive manufacturers need to take into account the perspective of energy consumers when assessing the environmental benefits of LIB repurposing in life cycle assessment (LCA). In response to this issue, this study presents a novel LCA framework, which allows manufacturers to assess different

Energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will increase significantly in the developing world. Scaling up bioenergy use and reducing GHG emissions is vital to achieving the Nationally Determined Contributions and advance the greener economy. This study investigated three types of palm oil processors to support technology advancement and renewable energy transition in the African

The Circular Plastics Alliance initiative aims to boost the uptake of recycled plastics (as regranulates) up to 10 million ton by 2025. Consequently, the demand for regranulates in Belgium and the Netherlands is expected to increase as electronic producers begin to pledge to use 25 % regranulates in their products by 2025 or 2030. Therefore, this research aims to gain insights into the potential of

Supply chains (SCs) often entail suppliers beyond the focal firm's visible horizon and thus outside its awareness and management. This article conceptualizes how standards can complement the management of complex SCs to identify and manage previously unknown suppliers. Combining institutional theory and multi-tier SC management (SCM), standards and SCs are conceptualized as meta-institutional fields

Hot water savings from water-efficient lavatory fittings lead to reductions in water heating energy consumption, and ultimately to decreases in carbon emissions. This paper characterizes existing and proposed approaches used to estimate hot water savings and carbon emissions reductions stemming from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense program. Also described are refinements that improve

Food waste impacts the environment and the financial gains of foodservice establishments. Reducing it entails targeting the customers, as plate waste is the primary source of waste in these outlets. However, little is known about why some customers are more prone to not finishing their food. Furthermore, many of the measures proposed to curb plate waste can potentially generate a negative customer

Developing countries like India and Indonesia struggle with proper management of plastic waste, causing rampant plastic pollution that adversely impacts the ecosystem and potentially human health. In this study, life cycle assessment (LCA) was adopted to compare the environmental impact of end-of-life (EOL) treatment of 1 kg plastic waste in India and Indonesia based on the EOL mix, which includes

Life cycle analyses (LCAs) were conducted for battery-grade lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) and lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LiOH•H2O) produced from Chilean brines (Salar de Atacama) and Australian spodumene ores. The LCA was also extended beyond the production of Li2CO3 and LiOH•H2O to include battery cathode materials as well as full automotive traction batteries to observe the effect that the lithium

China has committed to decreasing its emission intensity by 60% to 65% by 2030 compared to 2005 levels and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. It is of great importance to evaluate the CO2 emission reduction potential to quantify the amount of CO2 emissions that can be less generated and the amount that should be balanced out. Economic structure adjustment and CO2 emission efficiency improvement will

The construction industry remains under immense pressure to reduce its material and climate related impacts. Increasing material demand and reduced building lifetimes have therefore motivated efforts for urban mining in buildings. Even though urban mining has been projected as a crucial measure for improving resource efficiency, its adoption as a practice in the construction industry remains at a very

While electric vehicles bring numerous environmental benefits during their lifetime, they could be a burden for waste management at the end of life if not managed properly. A circular waste management system, alternatively, suggests exploring the appropriate actions and policies to create the right environment for second-use applications. Such regulatory measures primarily require a temporal estimation

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) dominate the industry of rechargeable batteries in recent years due to their advantages, including high energy and power density and relatively long lifespan. Despite these advantages, the disposal of spent LIBs into the ground is harmful to the environment, which needs to be addressed by recycling spent LIBs. The available recycling methods for spent LIBs such as pyrometallurgy