Plastic pollution poses a critical environmental challenge, driven by excessive consumption and inadequate waste management, particularly in agri-food systems. Mismanaged municipal solid waste contributes to severe ecological degradation as plastics accumulate in terrestrial, aquatic, and...

Large volumes of e-waste collected under formal schemes in high-income countries are still processed informally in developing ones, despite continuous policy efforts to reverse this trend. This paper shows that the persistence of informal e-waste processing is a consequence of how global waste...

Photovoltaics play a key role in the United Kingdom (UK) meeting its net-zero targets. In this analysis, we draw on governmental datasets and projections, technical data from across the photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing industry and technoeconomic research to determine the UK's waste processing...

Residual waste is no longer just ‘trash’ in the UK – it is a strategic climate resource. This new OIES study shows why policymakers and industry leaders need to rethink where it goes. The paper compares two competing pathways: using waste in Energy-from-Waste plants with carbon capture...

Household food waste poses a serious threat to planetary boundaries, particularly regarding water use, since it translates directly into unnecessary consumption of virtual water, contributing to freshwater depletion and threatening water security in water-scarce regions. This study examines how...

The rapid expansion of civil infrastructures has improved the quality of life but has also resulted in a significant increase in industrial solid wastes (ISWs), posing serious sustainability challenges, particularly for waste disposal. To address the challenges, this study investigated the state...

Diverting waste away from and zero waste to landfills are key sustainability policy aims of local and national governments around the world, particularly in countries with large waste footprints from rapid consumption growth and urbanisation. Segregation at the source of waste generation can...

Food waste represents a serious issue for both the environment and society. Previous research has investigated the antecedents of food waste behavior, focusing on various demographic and psychological factors. While moral norms such as personal concern and responsibility have been studied, their...

Despite growing awareness of the importance of waste prevention in circular economy transitions, substantial volumes of reusable items continue to be discarded. This exploratory case study investigates consumer behavior at a Swedish recycling center, focusing on decisions made at the point of...

Waste prevention is central to the circular economy and plays a critical role in addressing climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. It helps reduce resource extraction, manufacturing and transportation, and lowers carbon emissions. Because of this, waste prevention protects natural...

As the European Union (EU) continues to deal with the increasing quantities of packaging waste and its environmental impact, one area of focus is the harmonisation of waste sorting labels across EU Member States. This effort aims to for easier and more accurate packaging waste sorting in the EU....

The objective of this study is to analyse the relationship between tourist attitudes towards waste generation in Slovakia and their corresponding behaviours. With an increasing emphasis on environmental responsibility, understanding the behaviours and beliefs of tourists concerning waste...

Background: Despite concerted research efforts, the collection of domestic waste remains poorly understood in terms of financial and environmental cost drivers. Detailed studies of specific systems, yielding limited broader understanding, remain the norm. Methods: This study presents flexible...

Purpose - Egypt has set plans to transform into a green economy which requires major reforms in the waste sector as one of the most vital sectors crucial for this transformation. This study aims at inspecting the current status of the Egyptian waste sector to highlight the major policy reforms...

This paper examines the causal impacts of reducing solid waste imports on water quality in China, which was the world’s largest importer of waste until recently. We focus on the National Sword policy, introduced at the end of 2017, which abruptly banned the import of plastics, textiles,...

Waste management is a growing challenge in Nigeria, with major environmental, health, and economic implications for its population. Several factors hinder adequate household waste management practices in Lagos. The infrastructure for waste collection and disposal is lacking, with insufficient...

Urban manufacturing is increasingly discussed as a contributor to sustainable urban development, particularly through its potential to supply industrial waste heat for district heating networks (DHN). This paper examines whether urban manufacturing in Germany can provide a meaningful source of...

Waste management remains one of the most pressing global challenges of the 21st century, particularly in rapidly urbanizing areas. Improper handling and disposal of waste, especially hazardous materials, pose serious risks to public health and the environment, exacerbating problems in already...

Countries in the Global South face mounting economic, social, and environmental pressures due to rapid urbanization and inadequate waste and material management systems. At the same time, the global transition to clean energy has intensified competition for critical materials, raising the stakes...

Africa faces a dual challenge of persistent un and under- and informal employment-especially among youth and women-and environmental degradation exacerbated by poor waste management. Tailored organic waste management can represent a strong solution to promote both decent work and environmental...

Fruit peels that are usually discarded as agricultural residues serve as a rich source of various nutrients, such as carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals, necessary for the growth and development of any fish. Moreover, their low cost and available nutritional composition provide a...

A major challenge to the use of plastics has been the improper disposal of petrochemical plastics. An emerging economy like Nigeria has experienced a rise in plastic consumption which has not been stabilized thus leading to high plastic waste generation. The aim of the study was to assess...

The performance of waste management systems in cities has to improve to cope with rapid urbanisation and population growth trends. It is, therefore, necessary to develop a more in-depth understanding of how potential interventions may impact and improve the performance of waste management...

This study aimed to assess the current implementation and effectiveness of 5Rs strategies (refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle) at the household and institutional levels. 160 respondents were randomly selected from suburban areas, the municipality, and communities surrounding the...

Food loss and waste are increasingly recognized as the outcomes of complex, interconnected social and environmental dynamics rather than isolated individual choices. In this study, we adopt a complex systems approach to explore how micro-level behaviors and interactions within commercial dining...

The expansion of the textile industry and consumer trends have led to a rapid global increase in textile waste in the municipal solid waste (MSW) stream. Worldwide, 75% of textile waste is landfilled, while 25% is recycled or reused. Landfilling textile waste is a prevalent option that is...