Household packaging waste management

Household packaging waste (HPW) has an important environmental impact and economic relevance. Thus there are networks of collection points (named “ecopontos” in Portugal) where HPW may be deposited for collection by waste management companies. In order to optimize HPW logistics, accurate estimates of the waste generation rates are needed to calculate the number of collections required for each ecoponto in a given period of time. The most important factors to estimate HPW generation rates are linked to the characteristics of the population and the social and economic activities around each ecoponto location. We developed multiple linear regression models and artificial neural networks models to forecast the number of collections per year required for each location. For operational short term planning purposes, these forecasts need to be adjusted for seasonality in order to determine the required number of collections for the relevant planning period. In this paper we describe the methodology used to obtain these forecasts.This research has been partially supported by COMPETE: POCI-01-0145-FEDER007043 and FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Studi Alternatif Bahan Konstruksi Ramah Lingkungan Dengan Pemanfaatan Limbah Plastik Kemasan Air Mineral Pada Campuran Beton

Waste management system with sorting between organic and angoranik produce waste bins which are expected to be recovered into a new material. It is intended that the waste produced waste can be utilized as much as possible back to the maximum so as to reduce the incidence of various problems of environmental degradation. The number of mineral water packaging plastic waste generated from both household waste and waste places waste management encourages their efforts to utilize or recycle the waste to be used as something useful. In this study used raw materials waste plastics packaging mineral water as a partial replacement of fine aggregate in the manufacture of concrete. The variation of shredded plastic waste packaging of mineral water in the concrete mix with a composition of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%. Based on research conducted found that the optimum variation shredded plastic waste packaging of mineral water in the concrete mix is 5% of the aggregate fine. Where the value of compressive strength with a variation of 5% shredded plastic waste packaging of mineral water in the concrete mix that is equal to 22.741 MPa while for the flexural strength / tensile split itself that is equal to 2,666 MPa at 28 days of age care. From the research results achieved indicate that with the addition of 5% of plastic packaging waste mineral water in the concrete mix is able to meet the characteristics of concrete and of better quality than conventional concrete and can be an alternative environmentally friendly construction materials. It is also expected with a plastic waste recycling waste management is a mixture of concrete can provide a good effect on acts of saving the environment

The costs and benefits of packaging waste management systems in Europe: the perspective of local authorities

Local authorities are generally in charge of household packaging waste management operations, particularly in countries with Green Dot schemes or similar extended producer responsibility systems. This leads to the need of establishing a system of financial transfers between the packaging industry and the local authorities (regarding the costs involved in selective collection and sorting). In the present study, the costs and benefits of recycling from the perspective of local authorities are compared for Portugal, Belgium and Italy (in Lombardia region), adopting the same economic-financial methodology. The results show that the industry is not paying the net cost of packaging waste management. If the savings attained by diverting packaging waste from other treatment operations are not considered, it seems that the industry should increase the financial support to local authorities. However, if the avoided costs with other treatment are considered as a benefit for local authorities, the costs are generally outweighed by the benefits and the financial support could, therefore, be reduced

Use of intelligent applications to reduce household food waste

Household food waste is gaining an increasing emphasis worldwide. Multiple factors have been identified that contribute to household food waste including a lack of consumer understanding of durability coding and expiration dates on food. The aim of research is to review the evolution of date labeling and associated on-pack information, its interrelationship with household food waste, and potential future developments in intelligent applications to address food waste, transparency of communication and food safety. The length of shelf-life influences food waste with a longer shelf-life leading to less waste. Whilst preservatives extend shelf-life, the trend towards “clean labels” means that alternative intelligent approaches may be required that meet the expectations of consumers, improve personal agency in terms of improving product storage conditions, purchasing behavior to minimize food waste and support effective household inventory management. Intelligent options considered in this paper include: intelligent packaging and also intelligent appliances as part of an internet of things (IoT) enabled “smart kitchen.

Economic cost recovery in the recycling of packaging waste: the case of Portugal

The recycling of packaging waste is an objective of the Community with clear targets set in the European law. The study of the institutional arrangements, recycling systems and of the costs that resulted from this environmental policy represents an ongoing effort. While each member state has currently its own packaging waste management system, there is still a lack of evidence regarding the actual costs of recycling and on how these costs have been distributed among stakeholders. This paper addresses the Portuguese framework and discusses the financial transfers undertaken by the entity that manages the Green Dot scheme. For this purpose, we use data from the entities in charge of selective collection and sorting of household packaging waste for the year 2010. We compare the financial transfers of the Green Dot company with the costs incurred by the local authorities (which are generally in charge of selective collection and sorting) and open a discussion on the extent to which the principles of the Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste are being fulfilled in practice. Currently, the Green Dot company is only bearing 77% of the financial costs of the recycling systems in operation in Portugal. The unit cost of the selective collection and sorting of packaging waste is estimated to be 204 €/ton collected

The Largest Environmental Movement: Recycling and Consumption Work in Sweden

By sorting their waste for recycling, Swedes are told that they are part of 'Sweden's largest environmental movement' (Avfall Sverige, 2008). Recycling in Sweden is understood as an environmental action by all parties within society (including consumers, municipalities, and producers) and the country is proud of its identity as a world-leader on environmental issues. The system for recycling in Sweden asks a lot of the consumer who must not only sort their waste into different fractions but transport it to the appropriate bring station. Yet the country achieves high rates of materials (33 per cent) and biological recycling (15 per cent) and they proudly proclaim to recycle 99 per cent of their waste, with their belief that incineration with energy recovery is a form of recycling (Avfall Sverige, 2012). This paper explores how recycling has developed as an everyday ethical practice, considering the role of different institutions in the promotion of recycling and responsible waste management. This paper has been developed as part of an ERC-funded project, 'Consumption Work and Societal Divisions of Labour', whose key aim is to demonstrate the role that consumers play in the labour process, using comparative methods. In the case of recycling, by sorting their waste, consumers play an integral role in the division of labour within waste management in Sweden and their role differs substantially to the role of consumers in England (the other country in which recycling consumption work has been explored, see Wheeler, 2013). This paper illustrates how the consumer is encouraged to perform this work, drawing attention to what the work actually comprises. It also uncovers the organisations that shape this distinctive system of provision and moral economy of recycling

The dirty man of Europe? Rubbish, recycling and consumption work in England

England has been described as 'the dirty man of Europe'. However, the country's household recycling rate has been steadily increasing in the last decade, achieving a recycling rate of 42 per cent in 2011/12 compared to just 12 per cent in 2001/2 (DEFRA, 2012). This paper explores the combination of factors that have led to the growth of interest and participation in recycling activities by households, businesses, governments and the third sector. It charts the development of waste management policy and practice in England in order highlight how and why recycling has become incorporated into consumer?s everyday household routines. This paper has been developed as part of an ERC-funded project, 'Consumption Work and Societal Divisions of Labour', whose key aim is to demonstrate the role that consumers play in the labour process, using comparative methods. In the case of recycling, by sorting their waste, consumers play an integral role in the division of labour within waste management in England and their role differs substantially to the role of consumers in Sweden (the other country in which recycling consumption work has been explored, see Wheeler, 2013). This paper illustrates how the consumer is encouraged to perform this work, drawing attention to what the work actually comprises and the implications of its successful accomplishment for the labour processes that follow

Analysis of the waste selective collection at drop-off systems: Case study including the income level and the seasonal variation

There are several factors which have an influence in the selective collection of the municipal waste. To define a selective collection system, the waste generation pattern should be firstly determined and these factors should be analyzed in depth. This paper tries to analyze the economic income level and the seasonal variation on the collection and the purity of light-packaging waste to determine actions to improve the waste management plan of a town. In the first stage of the work, waste samples of the light-packaging containers were collected in two zones of the town with different economic characteristics in different seasons during one year. In the second stage, the samples were characterized to analyze the composition and purity of the waste. They were firstly separated into four fractions: metals; plastic; beverage cartons; and misplaced materials. The misplaced fraction was in its turn separated into cardboard, rubber and leather, inert waste, organic matter, paper, hazardous waste, clothes and shoes, glass and others. The plastic fraction was separated into five types of plastics and the metal fraction into three. In the third stage, the data have been analyzed and conclusions have been extracted. The main result is that the quality of the light-packaging fraction collected in these zones during both seasons were similar. This methodology can be extrapolated to towns with similar characteristics. It will be useful when implementing a system to collect the waste selectively and to develop actions to achieve a good participation in the selective collection of the waste