Improving the carbon footprint of food and packaging waste management in a supermarket of the Italian retail sector

Examining the synergy of green supply chain practices, circular economy, and economic growth in mitigating carbon emissions: Evidence from EU countries

Integrating green supply chain strategies and circular economy (CE) practices holds substantial potential for promoting environmental sustainability and reducing CO2 emissions. This study investigates the synergy between green supply chain practices, circular economy, and economic growth (RGDP) impacts on carbon emissions in 13 selected European Union (EU) countries, using a comprehensive panel dataset from 2000 to 2022. We employ both linear and nonlinear panel ARDL models, along with causality tests, to examine how CO2 emissions respond to changes in green supply chain management (GSCM), real GDP (RGDP), and various recycling practices, including bio-waste, municipal waste, and packaging waste. Our findings reveal that GSCM practices significantly reduce carbon emissions in the long run, while economic growth (RGDP) and municipal waste generation correlate positively with increased CO2 emissions. Interestingly, the nonlinear ARDL model highlights that only recycling packaging waste (RWP) exhibits a positive long-run effect on reducing emissions. Additionally, the method of moments quantile regression (MMQR) analysis indicates that the impact of GSCM is more pronounced at higher quantiles of CO2 emissions, whereas the effect of RGDP on emissions remains inconsistent. These results underscore the crucial need to adopt and enhance green supply chain practices within a circular economy framework to achieve substantial carbon emission reductions, holding significant implications for carbon emissions policies in the selected EU countries.

Identifying the most sustainable beer packaging through a Life Cycle Assessment

The beer industry stands as a significant player in the global economy, and it is increasingly renowned not only for its diverse flavours, but also for its impact on the environment. Amidst its popularity, the beer sector faces mounting pressure to address environmental concerns, particularly related to packaging. As the world is increasingly embracing sustainability as a guiding principle, the beer industry's approach to packaging has come under scrutiny for its ecological footprint. This study aims to shed some light on the environmental footprint of beer production by applying a life cycle assessment, comparing different types of packaging. This study calculated the product environmental footprint of beer consumed in PET kegs, glass bottles and aluminium cans, and performed three sensitivity analyses on load factors of transport, waste transport distance and recycled content. The results identified draught beer in PET kegs as the most sustainable solution for beer consumption, with a footprint of around 90 % lower than the other types of packaging. However, the analysis showed that the biggest environmental impact is found in the cultivation, packaging and use phases, that account for a contribution of 60 %, 27 % and 11 % respectively. The results of this study highlighted the importance of the load factor in the distribution phase, of recyclability and of the use of secondary raw materials for packaging. This study stands as an original and valuable contribution, offering a comprehensive understanding of the environmental impact of beer packaging and of the beverage industry. Its insights can guide breweries, policymakers, and consumers towards sustainable choices, fostering a positive change within the sector. It also questions the sustainability of circular solutions by comparing recycling and reuse options. This study revealed also that a green supply chain management is key in the transition towards a circular economy and in the decarbonization process.

Wasted Food, Wasted Resources? A Critical Review of Environmental Impact Analysis of Food Loss and Waste Generation and Treatment

Food loss and waste (FLW) comes with significant environmental impacts and thus prevents a sustainable food system transition. Here we conducted a systematic review of 174 screened studies that assessed the environmental impacts of FLW generation and treatment. We found that the embodied impacts of FLW along the supply chain and impacts from FLW treatment received equal attention, but few studies have included both. The reviewed studies show narrow geographical (mostly conducted in industrialized countries) and food supply chain (mostly focused on the consumption stage) coverage. Life cycle analysis (LCA), material flow analysis (MFA), or their combination are the most commonly used to quantify FLW related environmental impacts. More method standardization, integration, and innovation and better FLW data with regional and stage resolution from a first-hand source are badly needed. Among the various proposed mitigation strategies covering technology, economy, behavior, and policy aspects, process optimization and waste management options are the most discussed. Our review calls for a more holistic environmental impact assessment of FLW generation and treatment and analysis of the trade-offs among different environmental impact categories and between supply chain stages, which would better inform relevant policy on effective environmental impact mitigation strategies toward sustainable food systems.

Life cycle assessment of end-of-life options for cellulose-based bioplastics when introduced into a municipal solid waste management system

The partial degradation of cellulose-based bioplastics in industrial treatment of organic fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) opened to the investigation of further disposal routes for bioplastics in the waste management system. For this purpose, the environmental footprint of three MSW management scenarios differing only for the bioplastics final destination (organic, plastic or mixed waste streams) was assessed through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach. Results revealed how the treatment of bioplastics with organic waste achieved the worst environmental performance (5.8 kg CO₂ eq/FU) for most impact categories. On the other hand, treatment with plastics and mixed waste achieved negative impact values (that mean avoided GHG emissions) of -9.8 and -7.7 kg CO₂ eq/FU respectively, showing comparable benefits from these scenarios. The key reason was the lower quality of compost obtained from the organic treatment route, which reduced the environmental credits achieved by the energy recovery during anaerobic digestion.

Evaluating the waste and CO2 reduction potential of packaging by reuse model in supermarkets in Taiwan

Consumption of single-use packaging has been increasing globally and the waste produced causes negative impacts on both human and the environment. Retailers, such as supermarkets, developed quickly in recent years to provide for the modern lifestyle, using a lot of packaging in the process of distribution and sales. This research evaluates the packaging waste and CO₂ reduction potential of 10 different products sold in supermarkets in Taiwan when adopting different reuse strategies of Reduce, Return and Refill. In the suggested reuse strategies, a total of 8 kilotons of packaging waste and 30 kilotons of packaging CO₂ can be reduced, accounting for 50.8% and 59.8% reduction of the current situation, respectively. Retailers are suggested to provide different reuse strategies and experiential activities to increase consumers familiarity with new consumption methods. Significant impacts are made with a slight change in the small proportion investigated, which suggests considerable benefits if the scope is expanded.

Determinants of reduction of food loss and waste in Indian agri-food supply chains for ensuring food security: A multi-stakeholder perspective

With a rising population and increasing concern for food security, food loss and waste (FLW) has become a critical challenge to global sustainability. This paper, drawing on multi-stakeholder theory, aims to empirically identify the key determinants influencing the reduction of FLW in Indian agri-food supply chains (AFSCs) for ensuring food security. A structured questionnaire was used to collect responses from the various stakeholders of the AFSC and then the exploratory factor analysis technique was used to summarize the items into underlying determinants of reduction of FLW in Indian AFSC for ensuring food security. The results of this study reveal that (1) government support, (2) supply chain partnerships, (3) technological support, (4) consumer attitude and (5) top management commitment are the key determinants in the given context. All the stakeholders of AFSC must be aware of these key determinants affecting the reduction of FLW. They must work collaboratively to make a difference by preventing and managing FLW as it is everyone's responsibility to work towards food security.

Water-climate change extended nexus contribution to social welfare and environment-related sustainable development goals in China

Climate change exacerbates uncertainties in water resource management, water supply, and treatment that are energy intensive and then exert great pressure on climate change mitigation; hence, interrelated and contradictory characteristics within the water-climate change (WC) nexus system are needed to be studied. The nexus thinking and coordination of WC would impact many realistic practices and assist in sustainable socioeconomic development since traditional single-target policies have sometimes been out of function. Hence, the ability to direct water production and use as well as climate change mitigation has become a hotspot recently. Furthermore, we find that there has been no complete research on reviewing the impacts of the WC nexus in different areas on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Hence, this paper builds a core nexus of WC and then analyzes those effects on social and environmental aspects in many areas, including sewage treatment, energy transition, waste treatment, land management, and ocean management. This paper discusses how WC interlinkages are utilized to realize SDGs in those areas. Moreover, uncertainties derived from exogenous hydrology, climate change, and anthropogenic endogenous systems for realistic problems appeal to gradually increasing concern. Finally, implications offer valuable guidelines for integrated management of water and carbon emissions, as well as sustainable socioeconomic development in the future.

Environmental assessment of casual dining restaurants in urban and suburban areas of peninsular Malaysia during the COVID-19 pandemic

Food waste has been considered a global problem due to its adverse impacts on food security, the environment, and the economy; hence needs urgent attention and action. Its generation is expected to increase as the world population grows rapidly, leading to more global waste. This study sought the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on the 1-week operation of selected casual dining restaurants in urban (Ampang, Kuala Lumpur) and suburban areas (Kota Bharu, Kelantan and Jasin, Melaka) of Peninsular Malaysia, as the local community adjusted to life with COVID-19. The food waste in this study was classified into three categories: preparation loss, serving loss, and customer's plate waste. Our material flow analysis revealed that the highest food loss at these locations came from preparation loss (51.37%), followed by serving loss (30.95%), and preparation loss (17.8%). Meanwhile, the total average electricity consumption and its carbon footprint for Ampang were 127 kWh and 13.87 kgCO₂e, Kota Bharu 269.8 kWh and 29.47 kgCO₂e, and Jasin 142.2 kWh and 15.54 kgCO₂e, respectively. As for water, Ampang exhibited 22.93 m³ total average consumption and 7.91 kgCO₂e greenhouse emissions from this source, Jasin consuming 17.11 m³ of water and releasing 5.88 kgCO₂e of carbon footprint, while Kota Bharu emitted 20.21 kgCO₂e of greenhouse gases from its 58.71 m³ water consumption. Our findings indicate a major 'food leak' at the preparation stage, from which the waste could be utilised as livestock feed, and that electricity consumption is a greater carbon emitter than water consumption, suggesting a need for improvement to the kitchen practices and equipment.

Circular Economy in the Food Chain: Production, Processing and Waste Management

Food processing, from agricultural production to domestic consumption, is responsible for generating great amounts of waste per year, resulting in soil, water, and air pollution. These pollutants, together with the uses of petrochemical process inputs such as solvents, additives, or fuels, increase the food chain's environment impacts resulting in wasted resources. In response to this scenario, the circular economy (CE) theory is presented in literature as a liable alternative for the design of more sustainable production chains. In this context, this work was aimed at evaluating the literature's approach on the CE concept within the food processing and food waste management. The works show the centrality of "food waste" as a focus for the application of the CE. However, despite the relevance of management, reuse, or valuation of food waste, particularly due to its contribution to carbon footprint and decrease of food safety, studies have found other strategies for improvement of CE in the food chain. In this case, works in literature were allocated within the framework presented by the Ellen Macarthur Foundation called ReSOLVE, with proposals for modification of production chain to promote the CE. Among the proposals, one should highlight: modification of productive systems for mitigation of environmental impacts and greenhouse emissions, processes optimization for decreasing the use of natural resources and wastes, use of 4.0 Industry such as IoT, big data, or machine learning techniques for improvement of the whole supply chain, development of collaborative platforms for production and market, use of residues or co-products by design of intra- or inter-chain loops, and exchange of process or inputs with high environmental impacts for greener ones.

Bibliometric Analysis of Current Status of Circular Economy during 2012–2021: Case of Foods

Food is usually recognized as a limited resource in sustainability, recognized by the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, which aims to achieve zero hunger. It is expected that the circular economy (CE) can improve processes related to food production. The objective of the present study was to apply a bibliometric approach using VOSviewer visualization software as a research tool to analyze the relevant literature from the Scopus database in the field of circular economy and its relation to improvements in food issues throughout 2012–2021. A total of 1316 articles were analyzed. Italy was the most productive country with 313 articles, with Wageningen University & Research the organization with the most publications with 39 articles. The top 10 institutions originated from Italy, The Netherlands, France, and Denmark. Sustainability was the most productive journal with 107 articles. Bioresource Technology had the highest average citation frequency (44.68). The study helps initiate investigations to adapt the results obtained and create new strategies for increasing food circular economy efforts.

Uncovering Readiness Factors Influencing the Lean Six Sigma Pre-Implementation Phase in the Food Industry

The aim of this study is to identify the readiness factors of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) for the food manufacturing industry. A multi-method qualitative approach was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve quality practitioners and three case food companies to identify and explore the LSS readiness factors in the food manufacturing industry. Twenty-eight factors were identified and classified into six LSS readiness factors (RF) in the food manufacturing industry context, namely, management support and leadership, organisational culture readiness, process management, project management, employee involvement, and external relations. This study could benefit managers in the food business as a diagnostic tool to evaluate their readiness to implement LSS prior to investing in the programme. The proposed framework identifies LSS readiness dimensions and their attributes to enable food businesses to conduct readiness level self-assessments, thereby contributing to the successful implementation of LSS in the food manufacturing industry. The determined readiness factors will potentially enable an organisational transformation to be better understood, making the implementation of LSS practices in food businesses more successful and sustainable.

Analyzing the Concept of Corporate Sustainability in the Context of Sustainable Business Development in the Mining Sector with Elements of Circular Economy

Promoting the concept and principles of sustainable development at the micro level requires that industrial companies understand and improve approaches to managing corporate sustainability. Currently, economics does not provide a universal definition of what corporate sustainability is. With regard to the mining sector, corporate sustainability issues reflecting the viability, value, and sustainable development potential of companies have not yet been studied extensively. The article discusses the conceptual foundations of corporate sustainability; the characteristics and a classification of approaches to defining corporate sustainability; and the relationship between corporate sustainability, sustainable development at the micro level, and circular economy. By analyzing the example of Russia, the influence of the mining industry on the environmental, economic, and social development of both a country with a resource-based economy and individual mining regions is shown from the viewpoint of sustainability. The distinguishing features of mining companies, which include natural capital and mineral assets, are studied in the context of promoting corporate sustainability. It is proven that the effective corporate management of ESG factors results in environmental and social influence that goes in line with sustainable development requirements and serves as a foundation for corporate sustainability. A refined definition of corporate sustainability has been formulated, the specific features of corporate sustainability management in mining companies have been determined, and the specific features of corporate social responsibility have been studied. The issue of integrating circular economy elements into the corporate sustainability concept is discussed, and it is claimed that the inclusion of circular business models in the corporate strategies of mining companies will contribute to their corporate sustainable development and boost their contribution to the achievement of sustainable development goals.

Carbon Footprint and Total Cost Evaluation of Different Bio-Plastics Waste Treatment Strategies

To address the problem of fossil-based pollution, bio-plastics have risen in use in a wide range of applications. The current waste management system still has some weakness for bio-plastics waste (BPW) treatment, and quantitative data is lacking. This study combines environmental and economic assessments in order to indicate the most sustainable and suitable BPW management treatment between organic, plastic and mixed wastes. For the scope, the carbon footprint of each scenario was calculated by life cycle assessment (LCA), while the total cost of the waste management system was used as an economic parameter. The economic evaluation revealed that the organic, plastic and mixed waste treatment routes reached a total cost of 120.35, 112.21 and 109.43 EUR, respectively. The LCA results showed that the incomplete degradation of BPW during anaerobic digestion and composting led to the disposal of the compost produced, creating an environmental burden of 324.64 kgCO2-Eq. for the organic waste treatment route, while the mixed and plastic treatment routes obtained a benefit of −87.16 and −89.17 kgCO2-Eq. respectively. This study showed that, although the current amount of BPW does not affect the treatment process of organic, plastic and mixed wastes, it can strongly affect the quality of the output, compromising its further reuse. Therefore, specific improvement of waste treatment should be pursued, particularly with regard to the anaerobic digestion of organic waste, which remains a promising technology for BPW treatment.

A Systematic Literature Review on Packaging Sustainability: Contents, Opportunities, and Guidelines

The relationship between packaging and sustainability has caused the evolution of literature towards the minimization of environmental damage. The task of packaging professionals is becoming more demanding, as they need to collect information from distinct topics to stay up to date. The aim of this research is to gather information on packaging in the sustainability context to provide a systemic view of the contents, to identify opportunities, and define guidelines for packaging design. A systematic literature review of 472 papers was performed. The first step was a bibliographic search using Pack *, Sustainab *, and eco * as keywords. Secondly, the content analysis revealed the emergence of nine categories grouped in four clusters. These categories and nineteen subthemes were considered research opportunities. Going beyond the coding units of the content analysis, we have used context units to propose (i) the gathering of technical procedures to support the design phases of sustainable packaging; and (ii) the proposition of a framework based on the life cycle stages and design phases. At last, we have provided insights and guidelines that can be useful for packaging professionals.

Analysis of Influencing Factors of Embodied Carbon in China’s Export Trade in the Background of “Carbon Peak” and “Carbon Neutrality”

Since China’s reform and opening up, especially after its accession to the World Trade Organization, its foreign trade has achieved fruitful results. However, at the same time, the extensive foreign trade growth model with high energy consumption and high pollution has also caused a rapid increase in carbon emissions. There is a large amount of embodied carbon emissions in the export trade. In order to achieve the strategic goals of “Carbon Peak” and “Carbon Neutrality’, and at the same time build a green trading system to achieve coordinated development of trade and the environment, it is of great significance to study embodied carbon emissions and how to decouple them with China’s foreign trade. This paper uses the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index method to decompose the influencing factors of the embodied carbon in China’s export trade in order to study the impact of three factors: export scale, export structure, and carbon emission intensity. The results show that the change in export scale is the most important factor affecting the embodied carbon of China’s export trade, and the expansion of export scale has caused the growth of trade embodied carbon. Carbon emission intensity is the second influential factor, and the decline in carbon intensity would slow down the growth of trade embodied carbon, while changes in the export structure have the smallest impact on trade embodied carbon. The high carbonization of the overall export structure will cause growth of trade embodied carbon, but the tertiary industry has seen some improvement in the export structure, which could facilitate the decline of trade embodied carbon.

Sustainable Consumption in the Baltic States: The Carbon Footprint in the Household Sector

Sustainable consumption is one of the main aspects while implementing sustainable development goals. The main feature of sustainable consumption is the reduction of environmental impact. Thus, it is vital to understand and evaluate the environmental impact caused by consumption. In this paper, carbon footprint analyses of the Baltic States for the period of 2000–2019 were used to study sustainable consumption and pro-environmental behavior development. The results show not only how carbon footprint changes in different consumption categories (e.g., mobility, housing, food, and services), but whether it is related to changes in pro-environmental behavior as the promotion of sustainable consumption is crucial to reduce the consumption-based carbon footprint. The results from multi-regional input-output analyses show that in the Baltic States 62–71% of all the household carbon footprint is attributed to the three main consumption categories—transport, food, and housing. These categories are also responsible for 53–56% of the household expenditure. Consequently, changes in our mobility, food consumption, and housing management practices can significantly reduce the household environmental impacts. However, to minimize carbon footprints, behavioral changes are not enough; structural changes in the agro-food, housing, energy, and transport systems are also needed.

The potential energy and environmental benefits of global recyclable resources

Globally, the production of vast volumes of municipal solid waste impacts public health and the climate. Greening the solid waste sector could contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Therefore, this study assessed how the potential electricity and environmental benefits of recycling paper and plastic wastes could contribute to the achievement of the SDGs. The study used model equations methods to estimate the electricity consumption, diesel consumption, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions saved due to recycling. The key findings show that the 132.4 thousand toe/day of electricity saved globally in 2012 soared to 182.3 thousand toe/day in 2025. In 2012 and 2025, an average of 63.6% of electricity was saved. Globally, recycling saved a record of 1.4 million ktons CO₂eq/day of GHG emissions in 2012 and 1.9 million ktons CO₂eq/day in 2025. It was further realized that the overall volume of diesel fuel saved in 2012 grew from 511,146 to 703,887 million Liters/day in 2025, representing a rise of 37.7%. The sensitivity analysis shows an increase in the waste collection rate, the fraction of paper waste, the fraction of plastic waste, and the recycling rate in 2025 will boost recyclable resources' energy and environmental benefits. The findings of this study could offer scientific guidance for the achievement of the SDGs related to solid waste recycling and management.

The circular economy, environmental performance and environmental management systems: the role of absorptive capacity

Purpose

Despite the general interest in the circular economy, organisations have difficulties in implementing circular practices. Developing absorptive capacity (ACAP) may foster circularity among organisations. The paper aims to shed light on relationship between ACAP and organisational performance.

Design/methodology/approach

To empirically investigate the contribution of ACAP in circular economy implementation, the authors analysed a European sample of more than 800 Eco-Management and Audit Scheme-registered organisations through partial least squares structural equation modelling.

Findings

The analysis demonstrates that ACAP and the underlying organisational activities of a firm significantly facilitate the implementation of a circular economy and the internalisation of an environmental management system (EMS), which consequently improve the overall performance of organisations. The authors found that the diffusion of the circular economy in the organisations’ environment does not affect their commitment to implement a circular economy.

Originality/value

The study expands the academic literature by framing the concept of the circular economy with ACAP theory, thereby highlighting the contribution of acquisition, assimilation, transformation and exploitation. The results also provide useful insights for practitioners highlighting how organisations with an environmental certification can identify and pursue opportunities deriving from a circular economy. Finally, the research contributes to the debate on the effect of internalising EMSs and how ACAP improves economic performance, environmental performance and reputation.

The Application of Lean Methods in Corporate Sustainability—A Systematic Literature Review

This paper reviews the application of lean methods for corporate sustainability and highlights demands for future research. With the help of a systematic literature review, papers at the interface of lean and sustainability were identified and matched to a standardized list of lean methods to assess their frequency in the context of sustainability. In a further step, papers containing actual case studies were analyzed in more detail regarding specific application settings, sustainability dimensions, measurability of sustainability impact, and other criteria. The quantitative analysis of 363 publications shows frequent use of lean methods such as just in time and value stream mapping in the context of sustainability, and a surprisingly low use of other approaches such as karakuri, milk run, or chaku chaku. The in-depth analysis of 81 case studies reveals the primacy of intra-company and ecological assessments in the lean context, while social and inter-company aspects remain rather underexposed. This study complements existing research on lean and sustainability by systematically analyzing specific lean methods in the context of sustainability and by further exploring the sustainability characteristics of such lean applications.

A review of circularity and sustainability in anaerobic digestion processes

The debate on the relationship between the long-established concept of sustainability, and the relatively novel one of circularity in constantly increasing biogas production remains. In this study, additional discussion elements to such an open debate are provided. With its role in the bioeconomy and ongoing ambiguity, a bibliographic review of anaerobic digestion is provided. In particular, this study aims to i) verify whether sustainability assessments and circularity measurements are performed in different ways in anaerobic digestion projects and ii) understand which indicators have been utilized for each pillar of sustainability. Initially, 152 scientific documents from the Scopus and Web of Science scholarly journal databases were selected. Specific eligibility criteria that were any type of measurement of circularity and/or assessment of sustainability, were used for screening. Fifty-eight articles met these criteria and were analyzed in depth. The results show that the terms circularity and sustainability are not always univocal concepts in the reviewed scientific contributions. Consequently, the relative criteria or measurements for their analysis are not the same. As a result, a different interpretation of the two concepts is suggested. Circularity should be considered as one of the ways to achieve the broadest objective of sustainability.

Recycling Carbon Tax under Different Energy Efficiency Improvements: A CGE Analysis of China

Carbon emission reductions and sustainable development have become hot issues in international conferences. As the most direct instrument for carbon emission reductions, the carbon tax has not been favored by policymakers because of its negative effect on the economy. To achieve low-carbon sustainable development, we use a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to simulate carbon tax recycling under different energy transfer efficiency improvements to achieve triple dividends of carbon emission reductions and social welfare improvement. This paper contributes to the literature on recycling carbon tax for triple dividends in China. The simulation has three main findings: (i) the carbon tax revenue recycling toward reducing the resident income tax rate yields triple dividends without any energy transfer efficiency improvement; (ii) the losses of GDP and social welfare are exaggerated. Meanwhile, the carbon tax brings down carbon emissions and total carbon intensity of GDP with a mild impact on the Chinese economy; (iii) the improvement of energy transfer efficiency demonstrates the advantages of recycling carbon tax and is essential for achieving triple dividends. Thus, we propose the following policy recommendations: (i) the pilot carbon tax mechanism should be launched in high-carbon sectors (such as coal) and then implemented in other industries gradually; (ii) the government should strongly support the technological improvement of energy transfer efficiency in order to achieve sustainable development.

A Zero-Waste Multi-Criteria Decision-Support Model for the Iron and Steel Industry in Developing Countries: A Case Study

The iron and steel industry is a major global industry that consumes vast quantities of energy and causes environmental degradation through greenhouse gas emissions and industrial waste generation, treatment, and disposal. There is a need to manage complex iron and steel industrial waste in Africa, which requires a system engineering approach to zero waste management as informed by multi-criteria decision-making. The purpose of the current study was to develop a hybrid four-step multi-criteria decision-support model, the i-ZEWATA (Industrial Zero Waste Tiered Analysis). I-ZEWATA acts as a road map to understand, design, assess, and evaluate the iron and steel industrial waste systems with the ultimate objective of moving towards and achieving a zero-waste footprint. The results demonstrate that iron and steel waste can be identified, visualized, prioritized, and managed to promote zero-waste by applying a system-engineered approach. Additionally, relationship patterns to environmental, social, operational, and economic aspects with system behavioral patterns and outcomes were identified. It was clear from the case study in South Africa that, although technology and solution investment is essential, waste management, valorization, and treatment components require a concerted effort to improve industrial waste operational management through effective zero-waste decision-support towards a circular economy.

Mechanisms of Environmental Regulation’s Impact on Green Technological Progress—Evidence from China’s Manufacturing Sector

As the world’s largest developing country, and as the home to many of the world’s factories, China plays a crucial role in the sustainable development of the world economy regarding environmental protection, energy conservation, and emission reduction issues. Based on the data from 2003–2015, this paper examined the green total factor productivity and the technological progress in the Chinese manufacturing industry. A slack-based measure (SBM) Malmquist productivity index was used to measure the bias of technological change (BTC), input-biased technological change (IBTC), and output-biased technological change (OBTC) by decomposing the technological progress. It also investigated the mechanism of environmental regulation, property right structure, enterprise-scale, energy consumption structure, and other factors on China’s technological progress bias. The empirical results showed the following: (1) there was a bias of technological progress in the Chinese manufacturing industry during the research period; (2) although China’s manufacturing industry’s output tended to become greener, it was still characterized by a preference for overall CO2 output; and (3) the impact of environmental regulations on the Chinese manufacturing industry’s technological progress had a significant threshold effect. The flexible control of environmental regulatory strength will benefit the Chinese manufacturing industry’s technological development. (4) R&D investment, export delivery value, and structure of energy consumption significantly contributed to promoting technological progress. This study provides further insight into the sustainable development of China’s manufacturing sector to promote green-biased technological progress and to achieve the dual goal of environmental protection and healthy economic growth.

Measuring the level of environmental performance in insular areas, through key performed indicators, in the framework of waste strategy development

To measure "something that is not there", is not easy and at the same time not fully understandable and perceived by the citizens. Several elements (such as, waste production, waste management cost, social attitude and behaviour, etc.) interrupt and disturb any strategy in the framework of waste management. Additionally, through the European Green Deal (EGD), Europe is trying to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, taking into account the Circular Economy Strategy (CES) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). A Driving Force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) breakdown was applied, to establish and organize key information's on the environmental performance (E.P) taking into consideration the existing pollution, reviewing the contemporary knowledge and existing implemented waste strategies on the driving forces, pressures, states and impacts. This paper includes several key performed indicators (KPIs), in order to evaluate the E.P of an area, through hybrid approach which cover among others, the waste compositional analysis, SWOT and PESTEL analysis, waste recycling and waste accumulation index, prevention activities, awareness activities etc. The results indicate that, the selected areas implement periodic measures, but they need to put more effort to boost their citizens to participate in any proposed waste strategy. Furthermore, the results are very valuable and helpful to policy makers, consultants, scientists, competent authorities, stakeholders etc., in order to design and promote synergies and activities (mainly in Local Authorities), to reach the proposed figures that EGD, proposed in relation with the CES as well as with the SDGs.

Evaluating the effect of critical failure factors associated with sustainable Lean Six Sigma framework implementation in healthcare organization

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to develop a structured hierarchical interrelationship-based model to evaluate the critical failure factors (CFFs) that affect the sustainable Lean Six Sigma (SLSS) framework implementation in a healthcare organization. Further, solution approaches have been provided that guide to eliminate them.

Design/methodology/approach

The CFFs has been identified through empirical study and clustered into six major categories for their better understanding. The interrelation among CFFs has been developed through total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) and classifies the nature using MICMAC technique. Further, prioritized the CFFs based on its driving and dependents power. The methodology enabled the decision-makers, practitioners to systematically analyze the CFFs and develop a structural model for implementing SLSS in the healthcare environment.

Findings

A total of 14 leading CFFs have been identified, and 7-level structured interrelationship-based model has been formed. The experts have provided the solution approach after careful analysis of the developed model. Based on the analysis, it was observed that the significant CFFs affect the deployment of the SLSS framework in healthcare organizations.

Research limitations/implications

The structured model and methodological approach have been tested in a healthcare organization. In the future, the approach can be applied in the different service sectors.

Practical implications

The present study has been conducted in a real-time industrial problem. The practitioners, decision-makers and academicians expressed the usefulness of methodology for understanding the CFFs interrelation and their effect on SLSS implementation. This study also guides decision-makers to systematically tackle related problems.

Originality/value

The development of a structured CFFs based model for SLSS framework implementation using the integrated TISM-MICMAC with a detailed solution approach is a unique effort in a healthcare environment.

Investigating the Theoretical Constructs of a Green Lean Six Sigma Approach towards Environmental Sustainability: A Systematic Literature Review and Future Directions

Green lean six sigma (GLSS) is an emerging approach towards environmental sustainability in conjunction with operational achievements. The success of this approach is premised on an understanding of the different components of a GLSS program; being the determinants for its outcomes. The aim of this paper is to investigate the various constructs of GLSS that play an essential role in achieving environmental sustainability. For this purpose, a systematic review of available literature has been conducted to evaluate the drivers, enablers (tools), and outcomes of a GLSS strategy as well as its critical success factors and barriers. Findings reveal that these constructs of GLSS as a holistic approach can facilitate an organization to better accomplish environmental objectives such as waste minimization, emission reduction, and resource conservation as compared to constructs of only one or any two of these strategies. Based on the analysis, an integrated GLSS framework is developed for environmental sustainability in addition to identifying vital research gaps and future directions.