1,720,991 research outputs found
Optimizing the Methodology of Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in EU under a Circular Economy Perspective
No full textThe methodology for the characterization of residual municipal solid waste (RMSW) is available since decades. Some modifications have been introduced in order to modernize it. Now, in order to take into account the targets of the circular economy, an additional effort must be made to be sure of generating the right information suitable for the optimization of municipal solid waste in that frame. In that perspective, the Authors present a few proposals in order to avoid mistakes and to deepen the reliability of the data generated during the analysis performed to classify the residual municipal solid waste in fractions. A new model of characterization is thus proposed, suitable for planning waste management in the frame of the circular economy principles
Experiencing Urban Mining in an Italian Municipality towards a Circular Economy vision
No full textSelective waste collection in Italy has undergone significant changes over the last decade, highlighting very different approaches from one region to another. Research results presented in this paper are underlying differences between geographical regions and use them as a model of good practices to improve the less optimized systems. In the last decade, the Trento City Council has established a goal - the optimization of selective municipal solid waste collection - that led to a very low amount of recyclable materials in the residual fraction. More than that, for the first time sanitary textiles have been considered as a separable fraction at the source; for a long time this type of waste was considered negligible. These actions were transformed in a recycling program coordinated together with local recycling companies. This paper deals with factors associated with waste recycling, like specific criteria (waste containers selections for door-to-door collection, public awareness and tariff) and solutions (door-to-door bins, warnings, criteria for historic centers). The tourist characteristics of Trento makes it an interesting model for similar towns that are facing with the problem of optimization criteria. This opportunity is discussed referring to a Romanian case
Environmental impacts of tobacco product waste: An investigation on littering attitudes
No full textCigarette butts are one the most common types of waste. Habits, convenience, lack of ashtrays and bins, accidental discarding of cigarettes due to their small size and the misconception that cigarette butts are biodegradable are just some of the causes associated with this behaviour. Previous studies in several countries show that cigarette butts have become one of improperly disposed waste. The aim of this study is to identify the behaviours and motivations of smokers and to analyse how to dispose of cigarettes after consumption and to quantify the amount of cigarette butts generated by the Romanian population, chosen because its tobacco consumption is very close to the average value of the European Union. To collect these data, a questionnaire was developed, to which respondents from different regions of the country responded. The examination of the questionnaires took place in two stages. Areas of interest were chosen where photos were taken in 2021 November, between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. A total of 184.72 km2 of public open spaces were analysed. We calculated that approximately 3,962,091 out of a total of 4,559,467 residents live in these areas affected by this form of litter. The approach is suitable for replication in similar contexts
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Vacuum waste collection system for an historical city centre
No full textWaste management in historical city centres may be challengeable for waste
handling operatives. In this paper a developed plan is presented for vacuum waste
collection system for the historical city centre of Sibiu, Romania, together with its feasibility and opportunities. The main goal is to improve the urban environment,
maintain the historic appeal, and stimulate local economic activity. This optimal solution is following the models of other European cities. The system is designed for
the main streets and the total waste amount is calculated; moreover the number of
population served is correlated with seasonal tourist flow. The following research is provided as an example to be followed by other cities facing the same challenges
Vacuum waste collection system for an historical city centre
No full textWaste management in historical city centres may be challengeable for waste
handling operatives. In this paper a developed plan is presented for vacuum waste
collection system for the historical city centre of Sibiu, Romania, together with its feasibility and opportunities. The main goal is to improve the urban environment,
maintain the historic appeal, and stimulate local economic activity. This optimal solution is following the models of other European cities. The system is designed for
the main streets and the total waste amount is calculated; moreover the number of
population served is correlated with seasonal tourist flow. The following research is provided as an example to be followed by other cities facing the same challenges
Respirometry role in the MSW sector under the EU circular economy perspective
No full textIn 2015, EU published several documents concerning circular economy applied to municipal wastes. In this way the waste management scenario in 2030 is figured out. The goals are clearly quantified and ambitious (i.e.: the amount of wastes in landfill should not be over 15%). In this context, the present work aims to analyse the effects on the respirometry applied to solid matrix, developed to support some management problems in particular for municipal solid wastes. A critical analysis of the respirometric methods is discussed, to verify the adequacy with the actual scenario of waste management in the European context (for this evaluation the Italian case is used, where a couple of anomalies are present in the definition of respirometric methods and in the available models of respirometries). In particular, the needs of two contexts, clearly different concerning the efficiency of separated collection of solid waste, are taken into account: the Autonomous Province of Trento (Italy), which recently reached the threshold of 80% of separated collection and the Sibiu County (Romania), which is following the path of Trento Province, with some years of delay. It is reliable that the Province of Trento will be able to satisfy the EU goal of 2030, while the County of Sibiu will reach in 2030 the actual performance of Trento Province. There are many implications due to this temporal difference: this work analyses all of them under the point of view of the role of respirometry. As example, for the Trento case, in 2030 respirometry will be:
- Not relevant for the assessment of biological stability of wastes destined to landfill, since the extreme separation of organic waste (today around 90%) and green waste, together with sanitary waste (in future separately collected) will lead to the quasi-zero biological reactivity of urban solid waste
- Relevant for the assessment of compost stability (presumably produced after anaerobic digestion)
- Relevant for the assessment of refuse derived fuel (“CSS” in Italian) stability
- Potentially relevant for the measurement of biological stability of digestate before its destination to the following maturation phase (in case of activation of anaerobic digestion). In this case, the actual respirometric techniques seem to be conditioned by the long time interval requested by the analysis
In the case of Sibiu County, the probable necessity of a landfill pre-treatment process will open a discussion concerning which respirometric index should be considered (nowaday respirometry is still not used in that area). The critical analysis of the first part of the work will show how this aspect is managed in Italy with a lack of attention
Respirometric index and biogas potential of different foods and agricultural discarded biomass
Full text linkThe biological stability of biomass is an important parameter for treatment plant design, process control or compost use. Measuring the biological reactivity of waste with the help of indicators such as respirometric indexes (RI) becomes an important tool to prevent the significant environmental impact of biodegradable wastes in accordance with European legislation. The aim of this paper is to show the importance of the RI technique as a tool to establish further uses of biomass such as fertilizer or biogas. The respirometric process length for different types of biomass (grape marc, apple pomace and olive pomace) was quantified. Higher moisture content seemed to favor the biological activity during the respirometric experiments and shorten the length of the process. The duration of olive pomace respirometry did not exceed 3 days, while the respirometric activity of apple scraps the lasted approximately 2 days. The highest RI values were encountered for the apple pomace, 4888 mgO2·kgVS -1·h-1. The majority of the discarded biomasses are categorized in the third class of stability materials in the course of degradation. This technique is important to detect the biodegradability of substrates, as well as to gain insight into the quantity and generation rate of biogas produced, information that is important from an engineering management perspective
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
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