Exploratory study on the impact of military actions on the environment and infrastructure in the current Ukraine war with a specific focus on waste management.

The war in Ukraine and its consequences are becoming a disaster not only on a national scale but also for many other countries. The overview and considerations on such consequences given in this article shall help in managing and restoring (Ukrainian) territories after war. A structured analysis of literature about the war and post-war impact on the environment paired with 'grey literature' and the collection of currently available information from regional and national government agencies and official organizations on the specific situation in Ukraine, with a particular focus on waste management issues, was conducted.

Assessment of whole-site methane emissions from anaerobic digestion plants: Towards establishing emission factors for various plant configurations.

This study examines methane (CH) emission factors from biogas and wastewater treatment plants, based on primary and secondary data collected from 109 facilities. Primary emission data were measured at 19 facilities representing prevalent plant configurations across Europe. Statistical analysis highlights two categorical variables, namely primary feedstock and plant size, expressed as CH production (≤250 kgh: small and medium-sized plants, >250 kgh: large plants), each of which has a significant impact on whole-site CH emissions.

Adding Rare Earth Oxide Markers to Polyoxymethylene to Improve Plastic Recycling through Tracer-Based Sorting.

Engineering plastics, such as polyoxymethylene (POM), are high-performance thermoplastics designed to withstand high temperature or mechanical stress and are used in electronic equipment, the automotive industry, construction, or specific household utensils. POM is immiscible with other plastics but due to a low volume of production, no methods were developed to separate it from the residual plastic waste stream. Therefore, POM recycling is minimal despite its high market value.

Barriers and framework conditions for the market entry of second-life lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles.

Transition to circular economy for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles requires integrating multiple stages of the value cycle. However, strategies aimed at extending the lifetime of batteries are not yet sufficiently considered within the European battery industry, particularly regarding repurposing. Using second-life lithium-ion batteries (SLBs) before subsequent recycling can offer several advantages, such as the development of sustainable business models, the reduction of emissions, and alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals 7, 12, and 13.

The Impact of Abiotic and Biotic Conditions for Degradation Behaviors of Common Biodegradable Products in Stabilized Composts.

This work examines the influence of the degradation behaviors of biotic and abiotic conditions on three types of biodegradable products: cups from PLA and from cellulose, and plates from sugarcane. The main objective of this study was to evaluate if biodegradable products can be degraded in composts that were stabilized by backyard composting. Furthermore, the impact of crucial abiotic parameters (temperature and pH) for the degradation behaviors process was investigated.

A novel calibration method for portable X-ray fluorescence analysis of printed circuit boards.

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are the most complex and valuable component of electronic devices, but only 34% of them are recycled in an environmentally sound manner. Improving the recycling rate and efficiency requires a fast, reliable and uncostly analytical method. Although the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) shows high potential, it is often unreliable.

Characterization and source apportionment of microplastics in Indian composts.

Microplastics (MP), small plastic particles under 5 mm, are pollutants known to carry heavy metals in ecosystems. Composts are a significant source of soil microplastics. This study examined MSW composts from Kochi and Kozhikode in India for microplastic concentrations and heavy metals' accumulation thereon.

Carbon Monoxide Production during Bio-Waste Composting under Different Temperature and Aeration Regimes.

Despite the development of biorefinery processes, the possibility of coupling the "conventional" composting process with the production of biochemicals is not taken into account. However, net carbon monoxide (CO) production has been observed during bio-waste composting. So far, O concentration and temperature have been identified as the main variables influencing CO formation.

Critical review of the recovery rates of construction and demolition waste in the European Union - An analysis of influencing factors in selected EU countries.

Due to its intense use of resources, the construction sector was identified as a priority sector in the European Green Deal. Construction and demolition waste (CDW) is one of the largest waste streams of the European Union. As it shows a high potential for recycling, the European Commission set a recovery target of 70% under the Waste Framework Directive.

The dynamics of macro- and microplastic quantity and size changes during the composting process.

The quantity and type of macro- and microplastics was investigated in rotting material during the composting process of two state-of-the-art composting plants in Austria. Microplastics >0.2 mm, were found already after the first turning event in both facilities.

Food waste quantities and composition in Polish households.

Over one-third of the produced food is wasted globally. Most food is wasted at the consumer stage. The use of waste sorting analysis is considered to deliver more precise and less biased results than self-reporting methodologies.

The current state of the art in internal additive materials and quantum dots for improving efficiency and stability against humidity in perovskite solar cells.

The remarkable optoelectronic capabilities of perovskite structures enable the achievement of astonishingly high-power conversion efficiencies on the laboratory scale. However, a critical bottleneck of perovskite solar cells is their sensitivity to the surrounding humid environment affecting drastically their long-term stability. Internal additive materials together with surface passivation, polymer-mixed perovskite, and quantum dots, have been investigated as possible strategies to enhance device stability even in unfavorable conditions.

Formal and informal solid waste management in Kutaisi, Georgia: A status quo report based on material flow analysis.

The goal of this study is a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of processes and flows within the solid waste management (WM) system in Kutaisi, Georgia, and the wider Imereti region. The applied methodology based upon data collected through customized questionnaires enabled both the formal and informal sectors (IS) to be characterized. Moreover, waste composition studies in the region's rural and semi-urban areas revealed that the share of recyclables is higher in urban areas and commercial centres.

Method to determine the decolorization potential of persistent dyes by white rot fungi by colorimetric assays.

Decolorization assays allow to assess the ability of white rot fungi to degrade persistent organic molecules such as textile dyes and can contribute to discover microorganisms that can be used for bioremediation. The decolorization can be overlayed by the absorption from metabolites that are produced by fungi during screening, which interfere with the results. To compensate for this interference a method was developed by using different controls to subtract interfering signals.

The use and detection of quantum dots as nanotracers in environmental fate studies of engineered nanoparticles.

Investigations of the behavior and effects of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) on human health and the environment need detailed knowledge of their fate and transport in environmental compartments. Such studies are highly challenging due to low environmental concentrations, varying size distribution of the particles and the interference with the natural background. A strategy to overcome these limits is to use mimics of ENPs with unique detectable properties that match the properties of the ENPs as nanotracers.