| 1. |
- Almusaed, Amjad, 1967-, et al.
(författare)
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Assessing the Impact of Recycled Building Materials on Environmental Sustainability and Energy Efficiency : A Comprehensive Framework for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- 2024
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Ingår i: Buildings. - : MDPI. - 2075-5309. ; 14:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this study, we critically examine the potential of recycled construction materials, focusing on how these materials can significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy usage in the construction sector. By adopting an integrated approach that combines Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Material Flow Analysis (MFA) within the circular economy framework, we thoroughly examine the lifecycle environmental performance of these materials. Our findings reveal a promising future where incorporating recycled materials in construction can significantly lower GHG emissions and conserve energy. This underscores their crucial role in advancing sustainable construction practices. Moreover, our study emphasizes the need for robust regulatory frameworks and technological innovations to enhance the adoption of environmentally responsible practices. We encourage policymakers, industry stakeholders, and the academic community to collaborate and promote the adoption of a circular economy strategy in the building sector. Our research contributes to the ongoing discussion on sustainable construction, offering evidence-based insights that can inform future policies and initiatives to improve environmental stewardship in the construction industry. This study aligns with the European Union’s objectives of achieving climate-neutral cities by 2030 and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals outlined for completion by 2030. Overall, this paper contributes to the ongoing dialogue on sustainable construction, providing a fact-driven basis for future policy and initiatives to enhance environmental stewardship in the industry.
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| 2. |
- Govindarajan, Venkatesh, 1972-, et al.
(författare)
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An international look at the water-energy nexus
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of American Water Works Association. - : American Water Works Association. - 0003-150X. ; 104:5, s. 93-96
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Tidskriftsartikel (populärvet., debatt m.m.)
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| 3. |
- Naqvi, Salman Raza, et al.
(författare)
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Circular Economy Approach to Address the Industrial Solid Waste Management
- 2022
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Ingår i: Handbook of Solid Waste Management. - Singapore : Springer. - 9789811642296 - 9789811642302 ; , s. 421-440
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Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Industrial activities continuously generate diverse characteristics of various types of wastes. Industrial wastes varied from various process residues, wastes from pollution, or decontamination from operations and materials resulting from activities for contaminated soil remediation, ashes, oil, acidic wastes, plastic, paper, wood, fiber, rubber, metals, and glass. The circular tools indicate a restorative and regenerative system in which the streams of materials and products take place in a circular way. Considering social pressures, major industrial enterprises perceived the need for readjusting their production chains according to circular chains, which are more sustainable and consider the generated waste. This study aims to present the factors for sustainable waste management in major industrial enterprises based on the circular economy approach. The available data of a waste company is considered, and the model of circular economy such as fault tree analysis is applied to figure out the implementation of a circular process to industrial waste, especially those of lower value that have greater difficulties in being processed. The last section will propose a framework, opportunities, challenges, and trade-offs promoting circulatory industrial waste management.
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| 4. |
- Jansson, Eira, et al.
(författare)
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The Important Role of Pyrolysis and Hydrothermal Carbonization in a Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy : A Brief Literature Review; [Istotna rola pirolizy i karbonizacji hydrotermalnej w zrównoważonej biogospodarce o obiegu zamkniętym: krótki przegląd literatury]
- 2024
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Ingår i: Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae. - : Scientific Publishing House of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University. - 1733-1218 .- 2719-826X. ; 22:2, s. 101-114
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- This is a brief but focused literature review of articles centered around pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) using various feedstocks, including residues from industries, agriculture, and landfill waste. The deployment of bio-wastes will be the cornerstone of circular bio-economies in the future. The main emphasis is on gleaning how these two technologies can contribute to a sustainable circular (bio) economy, by understanding the process parameters influencing the quality, type and quantity of the final output. HTC and pyrolysis, it may be undeniably stated, can support the progress towards a clutch of sustainable development goals (SDGs), as they operate right at the confluence of solid waste management and renewable energy production. As mentioned in many of the articles reviewed in this paper, a high process temperature usually results in higher yields of bio-oil and biogas/pyrogas (and thereby less biochar), implying a higher energy recovery. HTC trumps pyrolysis on many counts – economy, energy-efficiency and product (hydrochar) quality. However, pyrolysis is a simpler method to regulate, and pyrochar, has a higher market value vis-à-vis hydrochar. While both these technologies generate valuable end-products regardless of the type of feedstock used; the articles reviewed clearly show that the feedstock does influence the quality of the output and thereby the application to which it can be directed. The review leads to recommendations for future research in collecting data and creating a model to in-vestigate various process parameters. Some of these recommendations are detailed comparative life cycle assessments (LCAs) to study the environmental impacts of technology-choices,, research into tailoring the optimal method and temperature to the feedstock deployed, and comprehensive forecast-based economic analysis of commercial-scale pyrolysis and HTC projects, are called for. As stated at the beginning, this is a brief review, which can also be expanded to take more published articles into its fold. © 2024, Scientific Publishing House of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University. All rights reserved.
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| 5. |
- Wikström, Fredrik, 1964-, et al.
(författare)
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Potential environmental gains from reducing food losses through development of new packaging – a life cycle model.
- 2010
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Ingår i: Packaging technology & science. - Chichester : John Wiley & Sons. - 0894-3214 .- 1099-1522. ; 23:7, s. 403-411
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The environmental concern and development issues regarding packaging has for 20 years to a high extent been on packaging when it has become waste. To reduce the environmental impact from the whole food packaging system it is also important to develop the packaging’s ability to reduce food waste. In some cases it may be necessary to increase the environmental impact of packaging in order to reduce food waste. In this paper, the environmental impact of packaging and food losses and the balance between the two has been examined for five different food items. The results show that packaging’s that reduce food waste can be an important tool to reduce the total environmental impact, even if there is an increase in impact from the packaging itself. This is especially true for food items where the environ- mental impact of the food is high relative the packaging, for example cheese, and for food items with high losses, for example bread. It is important to analyse the risk of increasing food losses when pack- aging design changes, for example, when the aim is less packaging material, which is the main intention of the packaging and packaging waste directive of the European Union.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Norén, Viveca, 1972-, et al.
(författare)
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Flood riskassessment – Practices in flood prone Swedish municipalities
- 2016
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Ingår i: International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. - Uppsala Univ, Dept Earth Sci, Villavagen, SE-75236 Uppsala, Sweden. [Noren, Viveca; Bishop, Kevin] Uppsala Univ, Dept Earth Sci, Villavagen 16, SE-75236 Uppsala, Sweden. [Noren, Viveca; Nyberg, Lars; Bishop, Kevin] Uppsala Univ, Ctr Nat Disaster Sci, Villavagen 16, SE-75236 Uppsala, Sweden. [Hedelin, Beatrice; Nyberg, Lars] Karlstad Univ, Dept Environm & Life Sci, Ctr Climate & Safety, SE-65188 Karlstad, Sweden. [Bishop, Kevin] Swedish Univ Agr Sci, Dept Aquat Sci & Assessment, POB 7050, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden. : Elsevier. - 2212-4209. ; 18, s. 206-217
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Risk assessments are important to ensure efficient and effective flood risk management. Methods and strategies for flood risk assessment are described in the literature, but less is known about how assessments are actually performed. We have studied local flood risk assessments in Sweden by interviewing flood risk managers in municipalities and analyzing documentation of flood risk assessment efforts.There is a large variation between municipalities in how flood risk assessment has been done. The efforts made in association with the EU Floods Directive together with a Government Commission about a flood in Lake Mälaren are the most advanced assessments. Only a few of the municipalities have done comparable assessments. Generally, however, there is a lack of experience and theoretical knowledge about concepts and methods of flood risk assessment in the municipalities. In the assessments studied, the flood it self had been rather well defined in hazard maps. The consequences of a flood had been studied in the larger projects but only by half of the municipalities. It is mainly direct, tangible consequences that have been included. It is mainly the exposure of assets that has been investigated while little attention has been paid to vulnerability. To improve flood risk assessment in Sweden there is a need for knowledge and resources in the municipalities. Prioritization and motivation are needed to actually perform the assessments. National guidelines for may be helpful to guide municipalities in this work and to have more uniform risk assessment.
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| 8. |
- Al-Hazmi, Hussein E., et al.
(författare)
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Polysaccharide nanocomposites in wastewater treatment : A review
- 2024
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Ingår i: Chemosphere. - : Elsevier. - 0045-6535 .- 1879-1298. ; 347
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- In modern times, wastewater treatment is vital due to increased water contamination arising from pollutants such as nutrients, pathogens, heavy metals, and pharmaceutical residues. Polysaccharides (PSAs) are natural, renewable, and non-toxic biopolymers used in wastewater treatment in the field of gas separation, liquid filtration, adsorption processes, pervaporation, and proton exchange membranes. Since addition of nanoparticles to PSAs improves their sustainability and strength, nanocomposite PSAs has gained significant attention for wastewater treatment in the past decade. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of PSA-based nanocomposites used for efficient wastewater treatment, focusing on adsorption, photocatalysis, and membrane-based methods. It also discusses potential future applications, challenges, and opportunities in adsorption, filtration, and photocatalysis. Recently, PSAs have shown promise as adsorbents in biological-based systems, effectively removing heavy metals that could hinder microbial activity. Cellulose-mediated adsorbents have successfully removed various pollutants from wastewater, including heavy metals, dyes, oil, organic solvents, pesticides, and pharmaceutical residues. Thus, PSA nanocomposites would support biological processes in wastewater treatment plants. A major concern is the discharge of antibiotic wastes from pharmaceutical industries, posing significant environmental and health risks. PSA-mediated bio-adsorbents, like clay polymeric nanocomposite hydrogel beads, efficiently remove antibiotics from wastewater, ensuring water quality and ecosystem balance. The successful use of PSA-mediated bio-adsorbents in wastewater treatment depends on ongoing research to optimize their application and evaluate their potential environmental impacts. Implementing these eco-friendly adsorbents on a large scale holds great promise in significantly reducing water pollution, safeguarding ecosystems, and protecting human health.
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| 9. |
- Andersson, Ragnar, 1947-, et al.
(författare)
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Vision zero on fire safety
- 2022. - 1st
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Ingår i: The Vision Zero Handbook. - Cham : Springer. - 9783030765040 - 9783030765057 ; , s. 1143-1164
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Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- There is a growing interest in addressing global waste problems by applying innovative ideas and philosophies such as zero-waste and circular economy. As a new sustainability paradigm, zero-waste challenges the common assumption of waste as a valueless and unavoidable by-product created at the end of the product’s life phase. Instead, it acknowledges that waste is a "misallocated resource" or "resource in transition" produced during the intermediate phases of production and consumption activities. Waste should be recirculated to production and consumption processes. Therefore, zero waste means no "waste" would be wasted under the circular economy system. This chapter presents various examples of zero-waste practices derived from family, community, business, and city levels. In addition, zero-waste implementation strategies and actions are also discussed in the chapter. Despite its potential, the visionary zero-waste goals cannot be achieved without responsible global stewardship and active citizens’ role.
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| 10. |
- Andersson-Sköld, Yvonne, et al.
(författare)
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An integrated method for assessing climate-related risks and adaptation alternatives in urban areas
- 2015
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Ingår i: Climate Risk Management. - : Elsevier BV. - 2212-0963. ; 7, s. 31-50
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- © 2015 The Authors. The urban environment is a complex structure with interlinked social, ecological and technical structures. Global warming is expected to have a broad variety of impacts, which will add to the complexity. Climate changes will force adaptation, to reduce climate-related risks. Adaptation measures can address one aspect at the time, or aim for a holistic approach to avoid maladaptation. This paper presents a systematic, integrated approach for assessing alternatives for reducing the risks of heat waves, flooding and air pollution in urban settings, with the aim of reducing the risk of maladaptation. The study includes strategies covering different spatial scales, and both the current climate situation and the climate predicted under climate change scenarios. The adaptation strategies investigated included increasing vegetation; selecting density, height and colour of buildings; and retreat or resist (defend) against sea-level rise. Their effectiveness was assessed with regard to not only flooding, heat stress and air quality but also with regard to resource use, emissions to air (incl. GHG), soil and water, and people's perceptions and vulnerability. The effectiveness of the strategies were ranked on a common scale (from -3 to 3) in an integrated assessment. Integrated assessments are recommended, as they help identify the most sustainable solutions, but to reduce the risk of maladaptation they require experts from a variety of disciplines. The most generally applicable recommendation, derived from the integrated assessment here, taking into account both expertise from different municipal departments, literature surveys, life cycle assessments and publics perceptions, is to increase the urban greenery, as it contributes to several positive aspects such as heat stress mitigation, air quality improvement, effective storm-water and flood-risk management, and it has several positive social impacts. The most favourable alternative was compact, mid-rise, light coloured building design with large parks/green areas and trees near buildings.
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