Plastic waste from industries and manufacturing development poses a significant issue due to its exponential environmental and economic impacts. This study aims to optimize the industrial plastic waste management by exploring the different ways of handling this waste for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the energy production sector in line with the EU and Swedish waste directives. This study draws on a mixed research method and a case study. The results disclose that proper sorting system, the implementation of waste policies and regulations, and informed waste practices based on knowledge and education in plastic waste management are essential for the implementation of sustainable plastic waste management system. While aspects such as the market demand and economic efficiency, the presence of hazardous and waste contamination, and the waste volume were identified to hinder the implementation. However, this study explored sorting techniques through the lens of practical strategies, introducing innovative solutions to address the challenges associated with mixed and contaminated industrial plastic waste. By leveraging the selective dissolution sorting technique, the study proposed the waste sorting process as essential practices to pave the way for sustainable waste management practices in SMEs in the energy sector. The findings not only contribute to the existing knowledge in waste management but also offer practical recommendations for businesses striving for efficient waste management. However, these findings necessitate implementing new protocols for waste sorting and changes in waste flow to ensure effective sorting practices. This could require investments in equipment, training for employees, creating specialized waste management department or establishing cross-functional teams to oversee waste sorting initiatives.

Facing the problem of increasing waste, scientists, foundations, and companies around the globe resulted in ideas and invented technologies to slow down the process. Sources of waste range from industrial waste (e.g., construction and demolition materials, hazardous wastes, ashes) to municipal solid waste (e.g., food wastes, paper, cardboard, plastics, textiles). Modern solutions do not focus only on technological aspects of waste management but also on sociological ones. Thanks to the Internet and social media platforms, scientists can influence ecological consciousness and awareness on a much larger scale. This research was conducted using the search keywords related to modern technologies for waste management. This paper presents a spectrum of selected modern solutions that changed in recent years and how they have impacted waste management. It also discusses challenges and future directions of waste management in the context of the circular economy. The use of modern solutions in waste management allows to achieve selected goals of sustainable development.

Purpose. The paper proposes a new trajectory of institutional change that integrates economic (fiscal) and technical solutions in managing municipal waste. Methodology / approach. The study adopts a model for the study of institutional change. A retrospective, quantitative analysis of institutional change, a legal-historical analysis of formal institutions, and a comparative-institutional analysis are used to substantiate the link between municipal waste quantities and Gross domestic product (GDP) growth. Using correlation and regression analysis, we examine the relationship between institutional change in municipal waste management and recycling. Results. The study proves the impact of institutional change on municipal waste management in the EU and Bulgaria. It can change the relationship between GDP and the amount of waste and stimulate the implementation of more efficient and innovative waste management methods. The relationship between institutional change in municipal waste management are studied. The main idea is that more legal acts regulating municipal waste management and a higher human development index, wich reflects better and more efficient municipal waste management, will lead to higher recycling rates. The study discusses how institutional change aimed at effective municipal waste management can contribute to increased revenues and reduced costs for the government by promoting innovation in the sector, introducing more efficient waste collection and treatment technologies, and encouraging recycling. Originality / scientific novelty. The study highlights the lack of a unified direction in rules and policies for municipal waste management in Bulgaria and its impact on the system’s efficiency. It aims to present a new approach to solving the problems related to municipal waste management in Bulgaria that focuses on the importance of institutional change. Practical value / implications. The paper identifies differences between the municipal waste management systems in the EU and Bulgaria. The proposed financial and technical solutions help central and municipal administrations to create new institutions. These actions can be joint and better coordinated. All this should lead to changes in the regulatory framework. The new rules will contribute to stability and less need to change regulations, clarity for individuals and organisations to the optimal solutions for reducing municipal waste costs, and “pressure” on the central and local administration to take the necessary actions for such a change.

Handling café business waste is essential for environmental protection, especially for organic food waste. After all, organic food waste decomposes quickly and produces methane gas, which has a pungent odor if not appropriately managed. This research analyzes and describes the waste management activities of specialty café businesses, starting with showing the development potential for managing by-product waste to increase added value and increase customer awareness. The research method used is descriptive qualitative analysis based on literature study, observation, interviews, and analysis of other supporting documents. The practice of waste management can positively impact the amount of waste generated from the café business because the amount of waste that must be submitted to the landfill can be reduced and provide by-products to increase income and café aesthetics. Waste management can be implemented by collecting and sorting waste and then processing it into by-products, one of which is by making eco-enzymes. The impact of this activity is that café businesses can educate employees and consumers to care more about the environment through simple waste management. The limitation of this study is that the research was conducted without a waste treatment trial process. Although this research is locally focused and qualitative, the results and methods of this research can be used to guide the implementation of wiser and more sustainable café business waste management.

MSc (Waste Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus | Municipalities are mandated by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (RSA) to provide waste management services; however, most South African municipalities are struggling to provide these services due to a lack of funding, inadequate infrastructure, unsuitable equipment, and shortage of skilled personnel. The National Domestic Waste Collection Standards (GN 21 of January 2011) requires that equitable waste collection be provided to all South Africans. However, the gap between waste collection services rendered in urban and rural areas remains significant. South African rural areas are generally receiving inadequate, failed or no waste collection services. Residents in these unserviced areas are many times left to their own devices to find a means of managing their waste. The consequence, more often than not, being that waste either ends up being illegally dumped in open spaces, being buried, or being burned in an uncontrolled manner. This research aimed at investigating solid waste management in unserviced rural areas focusing on Matobole Village in Limpopo Province. For this purpose, structured survey questionnaires were administered to a sample of 238 households in Matobole village, with the view of: (1) determining solid waste management practices and (2) exploring waste management challenges and opportunities in the village. A total of 205 households responded to the survey (86% response rate). According to the results of the survey, the respondents generate food waste more than any other type of waste. The absence of waste storage infrastructure encouraged the use of old buckets, and plastic carrier bags for waste storage, and wastes were, generally, not separated at source. Limited waste streams, such as food and beverage containers or packaging, plastic and glass are informally reclaimed for potential recycling. Other waste streams, such as food waste, are used for purposes such as animal feeding. Although waste collection services were partially being rendered to households in Matobole village since May 2022, the majority of the village (approximately 89% of households) are still largely unserviced with regards to waste collection. The lack of waste collection mostly led to undesirable methods of waste disposal. The most frequently used methods of waste disposal in the rural households surveyed included backyard burning or burying of waste. Respondents argued that these methods of disposal were inexpensive and convenient for rural households. Waste management challenges mentioned by the respondents included, amongst others, infrequent waste collection services, a lack of storage infrastructure, no funds to buy own refuse bags or bins, inappropriate waste disposal methods, lack of communication, awareness and education, and unavailability of space for waste disposal. Waste-related opportunities suggested by respondents included: income generation through recycling and job creation, creating a cleaner and safer environment, and improving knowledge and awareness on waste management. | Masters

[Abstract:] Data science (digitalisation and artificial intelligence) became more than an important facilitator for many domains in fundamental and applied sciences as well as industry and is disrupting the way of research already to a large extent. Originally, data sciences were viewed to be well-suited, especially, for data-intensive applications such as image processing, pattern recognition, etc. In the recent past, particularly, data-driven and physics-inspired machine learning methods have been developed to an extent that they accelerate numerical simulations and became directly usable for applications related to the nuclear waste management cycle. In addition to process-based approaches for creating surrogate models, other disciplines such as virtual reality methods and high-performance computing are leveraging the potential of data sciences more and more. The present challenge is utilising the best models, input data and monitoring information to integrate multi-chemical-physical, coupled processes, multi-scale and probabilistic simulations in Digital Twins (DTw) able to mirror or predict the performance of its corresponding physical twins. Therefore, the main target of the Topical Collection is exploring how the development of DTw can benefit the development of safe, efficient solutions for the pre-disposal and disposal of radioactive waste. A particular challenge for DTw in radioactive waste management is the combination of concepts from geological modelling and underground construction which will be addressed by linking structural and multi-physics/chemistry process models to building or tunnel information models. As for technical systems, engineered structures a variety of DTw approaches already exist, the development of DTw concepts for geological systems poses a particular challenge when taking the complexities (structures and processes) and uncertainties at extremely varying time and spatial scales of subsurface environments into account. | This work has been financed within the framework of EURAD, the European Joint Programme on Radioactive Waste Management (Grant Agreement No 847593) and PREDIS (Pre-disposal management of radioactive waste, Euratom research and training programme, grant agreement No 945098). The contribution of Javier Samper (UDC) was partly funded by Project PID2019-109544RB-I00). These supports are gratefully acknowledged. | Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.

The issue of rational waste management in Ukraine is quite acute. The system is in a state of decay, because about 94% of waste ends up in landfills and, at the same time, has a negative impact on the environment. That is why the issue of building a perfect management system and applying marketing communications in Ukraine is quite relevant, because proper waste management with the help of marketing measures will not only save the environment, but also attract secondary raw materials to energy or further production. The purpose of this work was to research and generalize the aspects of marketing communications in the context of the optimal model of the national pattern system of waste management in Ukraine. The research used a system method, an analysis method, and complex and integrative methods. It was determined that the level of volumes of generated and accumulated waste in Ukraine is quite high. It has been established that it is necessary to develop and improve measures for the disposal of acid, alkali or salt waste, other mineral waste, chemical waste, industrial waste sludge, ferrous metal waste and mixed and undifferentiated materials. Necessary waste disposal measures have been determined, which in turn should provide an opportunity to organize complex waste processing measures and ensure the use of their energy potential. The marketing communications established in the study will help to implement measures to stimulate recycling enterprises by the state, to establish relationships between producers and consumers of secondary products, to provide informational support for waste processing through the media, to create a marketing complex around secondary products and to reproduce the use of secondary products in energy efficiency. The recommended structure of marketing communications for running a waste management business in Ukraine will bring recycling to a new level and increase its efficiency. The practical significance of the study is that the identified waste disposal measures and accompanying marketing communications can be used in Ukraine to improve the effectiveness of the waste management system

Sustainable waste management is essential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, conserving landfill space, and producing valuable end-products. Organic waste diversion plays an important role in sustainable waste management with various environmental and economic benefits. Organic waste diversion is not a new concept, and many areas have had systems in place for over 20 years. One area where there are significant variations in residential organics waste diversion rates is Atlantic Canada. This research paper investigates the factors that contribute to these variations and explores the barriers and opportunities for increasing diversion across the region. Through a comprehensive literature review, the study investigates several factors that may affect diversion rates, including population density, access to composting facilities, curbside collection, and public education and outreach programs. The paper explores unique challenges in organics waste diversion in rural areas of Atlantic Canada due to limited access to resources and infrastructure. The study also highlights various opportunities for progress, such as increased funding for diversion programs and more data collection and reporting on waste management. Overall, this research paper provides insights for policymakers and practitioners looking to improve diversion rates and advance sustainable waste management practices in Atlantic Canada.

The paper categorises households based on their motivations and management practices towards reducing food waste, examines the factors that differentiate households that use specific food management practices and motivation bundles, and evaluates the effect of motivations and food management practices on household food waste. Using data from households in the United Kingdom, three bundles of motivation (saving, environmental considerations and emotions) and management practices (plan, inspect and proactive) are elicited. The results show that the single predominant management practice is “inspect” while “environmental considerations” was the most common motivation. We find evidence that different motivation bundles, as well as management bundles are used in a complementary manner. The results show that of the three management bundles, being proactive is more likely to result in reducing food waste. On the other hand, considerations for the environment and negative emotion that arise after food is wasted increases the desire to reduce waste. This study highlights the interdependent nature of motivations and practices and could guide public policy and awareness campaigns for more targeted and effective waste reduction strategies. Targeted public awareness campaigns emphasising the environmental impact of food waste and educational programs integrated into existing initiatives could effectively reduce household food waste in the UK.

Medical waste is a global issue because of its detrimental effects on societal safety and the environment.  Due to its contagious and harmful nature, which can have negative consequences on people and the environment, medical waste treatment is crucial. Objective: assessment of the medical waste management during the Coronavirus epidemic was occurring in Al-Diwaniyah Hospitals. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was used to carry out the investigation. To randomly select cases, a self-administered Arabic language questionnaire was used. The analysis uses SPSS Version 21. Results: General trash has been accounted for the majority of the waste produced in hospitals, with hazardous medical waste accounting for the second-highest percentage (63%) of waste handlers. In Al-Diwaniyah General Hospital, management levels were subpar, and medical waste management (MW) awareness among the entire medical teams was lacking.. the administrative employees, health professionals, and the cleaning staff did not have the necessary level of understanding concerning medical waste. The report suggests that integrated medical waste management should be clarified, suitable roles should be established, regulatory and legislative departments need to be supported, and increasing the training programs in the that medical institusion