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Silva de Souza Lima Cano N, Hossain MU, Bilec MM. Environmental impacts of circularity strategies for social distancing plastic shields made of polymethyl methacrylate in the United States. WASTE MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOLID WASTES AND PUBLIC CLEANSING ASSOCIATION, ISWA 2024:734242X241237102. [PMID: 38566400 DOI: 10.1177/0734242x241237102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
One application of plastics that grew during the COVID-19 pandemic is for social distancing plastic shields, or protective barriers, made from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) such as transparent face guards. Although available for other applications, end-of-life impacts for barriers are currently lacking in the literature, and there is a need to fill in this gap to guide decisions. This study evaluated the end-of-life environmental impacts of PMMA barriers in the United States by using life cycle assessment. We evaluated five strategies including landfilling, waste-to-energy, mechanical recycling, chemical recycling and reuse. Data were sourced from literature and various life cycle inventory databases. The Tool for Reduction and Assessment of Chemicals and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI) was used as the life cycle impact assessment method. Landfilling exhibited the highest impact in all indicators and reuse demonstrated optimal results for global warming potential. A scenario analysis was conducted to explore a combination of strategies, revealing that the most promising approach involved a mix of 40% reuse, 20% mechanical recycling and 40% chemical recycling. Circular economy recommendations are proposed for managing these sources of plastic waste in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Md Uzzal Hossain
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Melissa M Bilec
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Zhu L, Kang Y, Ma M, Wu Z, Zhang L, Hu R, Xu Q, Zhu J, Gu X, An L. Tissue accumulation of microplastics and potential health risks in human. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 915:170004. [PMID: 38220018 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics have become ubiquitous throughout the environment. Humans constantly ingest and inhale microplastics, increasing concerns about the health risks of microplastic exposure. However, limited data impedes a full understanding of the internal exposure to microplastics. Herein, to evaluate microplastic exposure via the respiratory and digestive systems, we used laser direct infrared spectroscopy to identify microplastics >20 μm in size in different human tissues. Consequently, 20-100 μm microplastics were concentrated in all tissues, with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) being the dominant polymer. The highest abundance of microplastics was detected in lung tissue with an average of 14.19 ± 14.57 particles/g, followed by that in the small intestine, large intestine, and tonsil (9.45 ± 13.13, 7.91 ± 7.00, and 6.03 ± 7.37 particles/g, respectively). The abundance of microplastics was also significantly greater in females than in males (p < 0.05). Despite significant diversity, our estimation showed that the lungs accumulated the highest amounts of microplastic. Moreover, PVC particles may cause potential health risks because of their high polymer hazard index and maximal risk level. This study provides evidence regarding the occurrence of microplastics in humans and empirical data to support assessments of the health risks posed by microplastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yulin Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Mindong Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Zhixin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Le Zhang
- Department of Pneumology, Affiliated Children's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214023, China
| | - Rongxuan Hu
- Department of Pneumology, Affiliated Children's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214023, China
| | - Qiujin Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Jingying Zhu
- Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuxi 214023, China
| | - Xiaohong Gu
- Department of Pneumology, Affiliated Children's Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214023, China.
| | - Lihui An
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
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Kravchenko E, Sauerwein M, Besklubova S, Ng CWW. A comparative life cycle assessment of recycling waste concrete powder into CO 2-Capture products. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 352:119947. [PMID: 38198842 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Waste concrete powder (WCP), a byproduct of construction and demolition (C&D), currently has a low degree of recycling despite its potential for environmentally friendly applications. WCP can serve as a valuable substitute for cement, offering advantages for resource conservation and carbon sequestration. However, there are very few studies that quantitatively assess the environmental impact of incorporating WCP into the circular economy as a secondary material instead of disposing of it. The energy-intensive processing of WCP raises questions about the optimal carbonation time using available equipment. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by employing carbon footprint and life cycle assessments (LCA) to optimize WCP recycling. Three recycling WCP scenarios are analyzed. The first scenario involved the conversion of WCP into compacts that absorb CO2 during the carbonation process. The results of the first scenario revealed that the optimal carbonation time for WCP compacts was 8 h, during which 42.7 kg CO2-e per tonne of WCP compacts was sequestered. The total global warming potential (GWP) was -4.22 kgCO2-e, indicating a carbon-negative recycling process. In the second and third scenarios, LCA was conducted to compare the use of carbonated and uncarbonated WCP as a partial replacement for cement in concrete. In these scenarios, it was found that uncarbonated WCP is a more effective solution for reducing the carbon footprint of traditional concrete mixes, achieving a significant 16% reduction of GWP when 20% of cement is replaced. Conversely, using carbonated WCP as a partial cement replacement in concrete mixtures shows limited potential for CO2 uptake. The sensitivity analysis reveals that the carbon footprint of the WCP compacts production process is strongly influenced by the electricity supplier used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Kravchenko
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.
| | - Meike Sauerwein
- Division of Environment and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.
| | - Svetlana Besklubova
- Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.
| | - Charles Wang Wai Ng
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.
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Xayachak T, Haque N, Lau D, Emami N, Hood L, Tait H, Foley A, Pramanik BK. White spill: Life cycle assessment approach to managing marine EPS litter from flood-released pontoons. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 337:139400. [PMID: 37406937 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) pollution in the marine environment is a pressing issue in Queensland, Australia due to a recent flood that scattered hundreds of EPS-containing pontoons along the coastline, causing severe ecological damage. To assist in the clean-up effort and provide crucial data for developing management guidelines, this study investigates the environmental performance of different end-of-life (EoL) disposal/recycling methods, including (i) landfill; (ii) on-site mechanical re-processing using a thermal densifier (MR); and (iii) on-site dissolution/precipitation using d-limonene (DP). Applying the life cycle assessment framework, the results showed that DP was the most environmentally favourable option. Its impacts in climate change (GWP), acidification (TAP), and fossil fuel depletion (FFD) were 612 kg CO2 eq, 4.3 kg SO2 eq, and 184.7 kg oil eq, respectively. For comparison, the impacts of landfilling EPS in these categories were found to be 700 kg CO2 eq, 3.5 kg SO2 eq, and 282 kg oil eq, respectively. Landfill also contributed considerably to eutrophication potential (MEP), at 3.77 kg N eq. Impacts from MR were most significant due to the need to transport the densifier unit to the site. The analysis also revealed that the transportation of personnel and heavy machinery to the site, was the biggest contributor to impacts in the EoL stage. Its impacts in GWP, TAP, MEP, and FFD were 1369.8 kg CO2 eq, 6.5 kg SO2 eq, 0.2189 kg N eq, and 497.7 kg oil eq, respectively. Monte Carlo analysis showed that the conclusions made from these results were stable and reliable. Limitations of this model and recommendations for future investigations were also discussed in this work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tu Xayachak
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, VIC, 3001, Australia
| | - Nawshad Haque
- CSIRO Mineral Resources, Clayton South, Melbourne, VIC, 3169, Australia
| | - Deborah Lau
- CSIRO Manufacturing, Private Bag 10, Clayton South, VIC, 3169, Australia
| | - Nargessadat Emami
- CSIRO Land & Water, Black Mountain Science & Innovation Park, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Lincoln Hood
- Tangaroa Blue Foundation, Dunsborough, WA, 6281, Australia
| | - Heidi Tait
- Tangaroa Blue Foundation, Dunsborough, WA, 6281, Australia
| | - Alison Foley
- Ten Little Pieces, Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia
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González-Sánchez R, Alonso-Muñoz S, Medina-Salgado MS. Circularity in waste management: a research proposal to achieve the 2030 Agenda. OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT RESEARCH 2023; 16:1520-1540. [PMCID: PMC10120487 DOI: 10.1007/s12063-023-00373-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Waste management is the main challenge in the transition away from the linear "take-make-dispose" economy. Incorporating the principles of circularity in waste management would facilitate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. This paper aims to provide state-of-the-art research about circular waste management in the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda. For this purpose, bibliometric analysis by VOSviewer and SciMat software is used to define the evolution and to detect research trends. Based on the main gaps identified in studies, a research agenda to guide for further opportunities in this field is suggested. The results obtained four clusters that address sustainable industrial infrastructure, biological waste management, recycling in developing countries and recovery processes. Four research propositions are established, focusing on plastic waste management and generation trends, circular municipal waste management, more sustainable landfill management, and enablers such as indicators and legislation. The transformation towards more bio and ecological models requires social, regulatory and organizational tools that consider the best interests and capacity of companies, public authorities and consumers. In addition, policy implications are considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío González-Sánchez
- Department of Business Administration (ADO), Applied Economics II and Fundaments of Economic Analysis, Rey-Juan-Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Alonso-Muñoz
- Department of Business Administration (ADO), Applied Economics II and Fundaments of Economic Analysis, Rey-Juan-Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Sonia Medina-Salgado
- Department of Business Administration (ADO), Applied Economics II and Fundaments of Economic Analysis, Rey-Juan-Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
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Sun Y, Wang D, Li X, Chen Y, Guo H. Public attitudes toward the whole life cycle management of plastics: A text-mining study in China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:159981. [PMID: 36356749 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plastic pollution control, involving the whole life cycle management of plastic production, consumption, sorting, recycling, and disposal, has become necessary for global sustainable development. Research on public attitudes is vital to understanding whether plastic pollution control policies are being successfully implemented and the degree to which the public is involved. However, few studies have assessed public attitudes toward plastic pollution control from the whole life cycle perspective, especially using big data. Based on China's whole life cycle management policy of plastics, this study collected more than 200,000 relevant comments and user information from Sina Weibo to analyze and evaluate public attitudes and opinions toward plastic pollution control. Spatial-temporal analysis was conducted to discover the regional and temporal differences in public attention. Using a sentiment classification method based on semantic analysis, the emotional tendencies of the public attitudes toward ten subdivided plastic pollution control links were studied. It was found that more people held a positive attitude and paid more attention to reusing and sorting links, while the negative emotions were concentrated on the collection and sorting links. Using a topic modeling method, the negative opinions in various links were revealed, such as lack of supervision and industry standards; over packaging or insufficient packaging; food safety problems caused by the reuse; high costs, poor use and possibly greater waste of substitutes; unclear sorting rules and insufficient supporting measures. Graph theory was applied to display these opinions. Finally, some policy implications derived from the discussions are given.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Sun
- School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Deyun Wang
- School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Laboratory for Natural Disaster Risk Prevention and Emergency Management, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
| | - Xiaoshui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Yiqing Chen
- School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Haixiang Guo
- School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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Venkatachalam V, Pohler M, Spierling S, Nickel L, Barner L, Endres H. Design for Recycling Strategies Based on the Life Cycle Assessment and End of Life Options of Plastics in a Circular Economy. MACROMOL CHEM PHYS 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/macp.202200046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Venkateshwaran Venkatachalam
- Institute of Plastics and Circular Economy Leibniz Universität Hannover An der Universität 2 Garbsen 30823 Germany
| | - Merlin Pohler
- Institute of Plastics and Circular Economy Leibniz Universität Hannover An der Universität 2 Garbsen 30823 Germany
| | - Sebastian Spierling
- Institute of Plastics and Circular Economy Leibniz Universität Hannover An der Universität 2 Garbsen 30823 Germany
| | - Louisa Nickel
- Institute of Plastics and Circular Economy Leibniz Universität Hannover An der Universität 2 Garbsen 30823 Germany
| | - Leonie Barner
- Centre for a Waste‐Free World Faculty of Science, School of Chemistry and Physics Queensland University of Technology 2 George Street Brisbane QLD 4000 Australia
| | - Hans‐Josef Endres
- Institute of Plastics and Circular Economy Leibniz Universität Hannover An der Universität 2 Garbsen 30823 Germany
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