Assessing dynamic models for high priority waste collection in smart cities

Waste Management (WM) represents an important part of Smart Cities (SCs) with significant impact on modern societies. WM involves a set of processes ranging from waste collection to the recycling of the collected materials. The proliferation of sensors and actuators enable the new era of Internet of Things (IoT) that can be adopted in SCs and help in WM. Novel approaches that involve dynamic routing models combined with the IoT capabilities could provide solutions that outperform existing models. In this paper, we focus on a SC where a number of collection bins are located in different areas with sensors attached to them. We study a dynamic waste collection architecture, which is based on data retrieved by sensors. We pay special attention to the possibility of immediate WM service in high priority areas, e.g., schools or hospitals where, possibly, the presence of dangerous waste or the negative effects on human quality of living impose the need for immediate collection. This is very crucial when we focus on sensitive groups of citizens like pupils, elderly or people living close to areas where dangerous waste is rejected. We propose novel algorithms aiming at providing efficient and scalable solutions to the dynamic waste collection problem through the management of the trade-off between the immediate collection and its cost. We describe how the proposed system effectively responds to the demand as realized by sensor observations and alerts originated in high priority areas. Our aim is to minimize the time required for serving high priority areas while keeping the average expected performance at high level. Comprehensive simulations on top of the data retrieved by a SC validate the proposed algorithms on both quantitative and qualitative criteria which are adopted to analyze their strengths and weaknesses. We claim that, local authorities could choose the model that best matches their needs and resources of each city

Circular economy design visioning: exploring industrial and urban symbiosis in South African cities.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Cities of tomorrow will be at the coalface of the complex challenges posed by climate change, e.g. resource scarcity. Climate change adaptation strategies will include circular economy (CE) practices (e.g. industrial and urban symbiosis) to increase the rate of recycling technical nutrients, in turn improving the resource efficiency of cities. The study investigates industrial and urban symbiosis in South Africa. In doing so, exploring technology enabled (i.e. cyber-physical-social ecosystems) CE solutions to designing out waste in South African cities. One of the key contributions of the research is the comprehensive synthesis and testing of an iterative problem structuring, theory building and design visioning (problem-theory-design) continuum to inform CE experimentation. A mixed methods design visioning approach is developed through an experiential and iterative design practice nested in a network of interdisciplinary theoretical constructs: 1) philosophical construct – Ecological Literacy (systems thinking), 2) techno-economic construct – Third Industrial Revolution (internet-of-things enabled general purpose technology platform), and Circular Economy (industrial and urban symbiosis), and 3) design construct – properties of Ecodesign derived from the dynamic renewable design of natural ecosystems. The research argues that to construct a meaningful CE transition experiment, a logical starting point is to distil key findings from a theoretically embedded case study to inform the design of a virtual experiment and simulation sketch. Through an embedded multiple case study approach the research investigates complex resource recovery dynamics in two key waste economy sub-sectors; industrial waste management and urban informal recycling sectors in the province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The case studies provide an integrated method (i.e. synthesising quantitative and qualitative knowledge) for holistic and high-resolution problem structuring. From a systems thinking perspective, key leverage points (i.e. data, information sharing and infrastructure) are identified for potential policy and technology intervention. Learnings from the case studies inform policy recommendations and CE innovation. The findings from the industrial symbiosis (IS) case study illustrate that firms and supply chain networks recognise the environmental importance of improving industrial waste management practices, however they are locked-in to end-of-pipe solutions. Firms highlighted regulation, price sensitivity, customer pressure and top management as key drivers of pro-environmental behaviour change (e.g. waste beneficiation). The findings highlight the unrealised IS potential in the South vi Durban Basin. In addition, revealing significant barriers to IS, i.e. lack of information sharing between firms and a weak regulatory environment. To increase the detection, matching and emergence of IS relationships will command the dynamic co-production of codified resource flow data; herein a big data analytics approach can be employed to construct open source platforms for interfirm information (e.g. residual resource flows) sharing and knowledge production – an industrial commons internet. The urban symbiosis case study explores the informal recycling sector in KZN analysing the instrumental role of waste pickers as primary looping agents in recovering recyclable materials from post-consumer waste and increasing the supply of recyclable materials (e.g. cardboard, paper, plastic and metal) in the secondary resources economy. Waste pickers are an important link in recycling value chains; sorting, gathering and manually transporting recyclable materials to buy-back-centres and informal collection pick up points. The case study investigates how their efficiency can be improved to stimulate greater positive environmental impacts, create decent employment opportunities, and reduce waste management costs for municipalities. The findings from the case study on waste pickers are extrapolated in a CE design visioning exercise. From a systems level perspective, the research culminates in the sketch of a virtual circular city experiment; a cyber-physical social ecosystem (CPSE) designed to increase recycling rates in cities by addressing the infrastructural needs of waste pickers. The hardware, software and social ecosystem is built out of an internet-of-things (IoT) platform. Firstly, the IoT enabled infrastructural system improves material recovery efficiencies (of post-consumer recyclable materials) by increasing connectivity between waste pickers and waste collectors. Increased connectivity allows for looping and aggregating material stock and flow data. Secondly, the integrated hardware and software infrastructure provides an automated, digitised and decentralised buy-back-transfer service – delivered through connected and solar-powered collection nodes strategically distributed throughout the city in a mesh network configuration. Thirdly, the digital platform aggregates big data and employs advanced analytics to generate actionable residual resource intelligence, consequently enabling evidence-based decision making by key stakeholders, e.g. government agencies, industry associations, recyclers and material reprocessors. To further the research agenda, the next step is structuring a real-world transition experiment based on the virtual circular city design experiment, defined as, the internet-of-waste pickers (IoWP)

By using Internet of Things Analysis of Waste Monitoring System

Metropolitan territories in urban areas are confronting poor strategy for waste administration. Since there is quick increment of urban populace unhygienic conditions are winning. To maintain a strategic distance from this condition and to enhance the personal satisfaction powerful waste administration is utilized. In proposed framework, squander container is checked with the sensors and GSM framework. An android application is utilized to screen data with respect to squander independent of area. By this squanders are expelled effectively

In-situ resonant band engineering of solution-processed semiconductors generates high performance n-type thermoelectric nano-inks.

Thermoelectric devices possess enormous potential to reshape the global energy landscape by converting waste heat into electricity, yet their commercial implementation has been limited by their high cost to output power ratio. No single "champion" thermoelectric material exists due to a broad range of material-dependent thermal and electrical property optimization challenges. While the advent of nanostructuring provided a general design paradigm for reducing material thermal conductivities, there exists no analogous strategy for homogeneous, precise doping of materials. Here, we demonstrate a nanoscale interface-engineering approach that harnesses the large chemically accessible surface areas of nanomaterials to yield massive, finely-controlled, and stable changes in the Seebeck coefficient, switching a poor nonconventional p-type thermoelectric material, tellurium, into a robust n-type material exhibiting stable properties over months of testing. These remodeled, n-type nanowires display extremely high power factors (~500 µW m-1K-2) that are orders of magnitude higher than their bulk p-type counterparts

Handbuch Kommunikationsstrategien zur Schärfung des Umweltbewusstseins im Umgang mit Arzneimitteln : Forschungsvorhaben 37 08 61 400 des Umweltbundesamtes

In Germany, as in almost all industrial countries, active pharmaceutical substances can now be found in virtually all water bodies and occasionally also in drinking water. Even though the concentrations in question tend to be very low, there are initial signs of their impact on aquatic life. There is no evidence as yet of any acute consequences for human health. It is, however, impossible to rule out long-term consequences from these minimal concentrations or unexpected effects from the interaction between various active ingredients (cocktail effect). At special risk here are sensitive segments of the population such as children and the chronically ill. There is thus a need for action on precautionary grounds. The main actors in the health system are largely unaware of the problem posed by drug residues in water. Although knowledge cannot be equated with awareness – given the existence of the ‘not wanting to know' phenomenon – the first step is to generate a consolidated knowledge base. Only by creating awareness of the problem can further strategies be implemented to ultimately enlighten and bring about behavioural change. At stake here is the overall everyday handling of medications, including prescription, compliance, and drug-free disease prevention down to the doctor-patient relationship. The latter, namely, is often characterised by misunderstandings and a lack of communication about the – supposed – need to prescribe drugs. The first part of the strategy for the general public involves using various channels and media to address three different target groups. These were identified by ISOE in an empirical survey as reacting differently to the problem under review: · ‘The Deniers/Relativists' · ‘The Truth-Seekers' · ‘The Hypersensitives' The intention is to address each target group in the right tone and using the most suitable line of reasoning via specific media and with the proper degree of differentiation. The ‘Truth-Seekers' play an opinion-leading role here. They can be provided with highly differentiated information through sophisticated media which they then pass on to their dialogue partners in an appropriate form. The second part of the strategy for the general public relates to the communication of proper disposal routes for expired drugs. The goal is to confine disposal to pharmacies so that on no account are they flushed down the sink or toilet. Based on an analysis of typical errors in existing communications media on this topic, ISOE prepared recommendations for drafting proper information materials. In addressing pharmacists, the first priority is to convey hard facts: to this end we propose a PR campaign to place articles in the main specialist media. At the same time, the subject should feature in training and continuing education programmes. Another aim is to strengthen the advisory function of the pharmacies. The environmentally sensitive target group would indeed react positively to having their attention drawn to the issue of drug residues in water. For all other customers, the pharmacists can and should act as consultants: they emphasise how important it is to take medication as instructed (compliance) and use suitable pack sizes, and warn older customers in particular about the potential hazards of improper drug intake. The first stage of the communications strategy for doctors likewise revolves around knowledge. Here, however, it is important to take into account their self-image as scientists while in fact having little grasp of this specific area. The line to take is that of ‘discursive selfenlightenment'. This means that the issue of drug residues in water cannot be conveyed to doctors by laymen but must be taken up and imparted via the major media of the medical profession and by medical association officials (top-down). The second stage, namely that of raising doctors’ awareness of the problem, is likely to encounter strong resistance from some of the medical profession. They may fear a threat of interference in treatment plans from an environmental perspective and feel the need to emphasise that doctors are not responsible for environmental issues. As shown in empirical surveys by ISOE, such a defensive reaction is ultimately down to an underlying taboo: people are loath to discuss the over-prescription taking place in countless doctors' surgeries. And it is a fact that this problem cannot be tackled from the environmental perspective, although the goals of water protection are indeed consistent with the economic objectives of restraint in the deployment of drugs. Any communications measure for this target group has to bear in mind that doctors feel restricted by what they see as a ‘perpetual health reform' no matter which government is in power. On no account are they prepared to tolerate any new form of regulation, in this case for environmental reasons. An entirely different view of the problem is taken by ‘critical doctors' such as specialists in environmental health and those with a naturopathic focus. They are interested in the problem because they see a connection between the quality of our environment and our health. What is more, they have patients keen to be prescribed as few drugs as possible and who are instead interested in ‘talking medicine'. So, any communication strategy intent on tackling the difficult problem of oversubscribing drugs needs to look carefully at the experiences of these medical professionals and also at a ‘bottom-up strategy'. Implementation of strategic communications should be entrusted to an agency with experience in ‘issue management'. Knowledge of social marketing and the influencing of behaviour are further prerequisites. All important decisions should be taken by a consensus committee (‘MeriWa'1 round table), in which the medical profession, pharmacists and consumers are represented.In Deutschland und in fast allen Industrieländern finden sich mittlerweile Medikamentenwirkstoffe in nahezu allen Gewässern und vereinzelt auch im Trinkwasser. Auch wenn die Konzentrationen in der Regel sehr gering sind, lassen sich erste Anzeichen für Auswirkungen auf Wasserlebewesen nachweisen. Akute Folgen für die menschliche Gesundheit sind bisher nicht erwiesen. Es kann allerdings nicht ausgeschlossen werden, dass sich Langzeitfolgen dieser Niedrigstkonzentrationen entwickeln und unerwartete Effekte durch die Wechselwirkung zwischen verschiedenen Wirkstoffen (Cocktaileffekt) entstehen. Besonders gefährdet sind dabei sensible Bevölkerungsgruppen wie Kinder und chronisch Kranke. Es besteht daher nicht zuletzt aus Vorsorgegründen Handlungsbedarf. Das Problem der Medikamentenreste im Wasser ist bei den wichtigsten Akteuren des Gesundheitssystems weitgehend unbekannt. Auch wenn Wissen nicht mit Bewusstsein gleichgesetzt werden kann – denn es gibt auch das Phänomen des Nicht-Wissen-Wollens – geht es in einem ersten Schritt darum, fundiertes Wissen zu erzeugen. Nur auf Basis dieser Sensibilisierung können weitere Strategien umgesetzt und letztendlich Aufklärung und Verhaltensänderungen erreicht werden. Dabei geht es um die gesamte Alltagspraxis im Umgang mit Medikamenten. Diese umfasst Fragen der Verschreibung, der Compliance, der nichtmedikamentösen Krankheitsvorsorge bis hin zum Arzt-Patienten-Verhältnis. Das ist nämlich häufig von Missverständnissen und mangelnder Kommunikation über – vermeintliche – Verschreibungsnotwendigkeiten geprägt. Der erste Teil der Strategie für die Bevölkerung soll über unterschiedliche Kanäle und Medien drei unterschiedliche Zielgruppen ansprechen, die in einer empirischen Untersuchung vom ISOE identifiziert wurden und auf das angesprochene Problem ganz unterschiedlich reagieren: · ‚Die Verleugner/Relativierer‘ · ‚Die Aufklärungsinteressierten‘ · ‚Die Hypersensiblen‘ Jede Zielgruppe soll in der passenden sprachlichen und argumentativen Art und Weise durch spezifische Medien und mit dem richtigen Grad der Differenziertheit angesprochen werden. Dabei spielen „die Aufklärungsinteressierten“ eine Opinionleader-Rolle. Sie können über anspruchsvolle Medien mit sehr differenzierten Informationen versorgt werden und geben dieses Wissen dann in angemessener Form an ihre Gesprächspartner weiter. Der zweite Teil der Strategie für die Bevölkerung bezieht sich auf die Kommunikation richtiger Entsorgungswege für Altmedikamente. Ziel ist es, dass Medikamentenreste nur noch in der Apotheke, keinesfalls aber in der Spüle oder in der Toilette entsorgt werden. Auf Grundlage einer Analyse typischer Fehler in bereits bestehenden Kommunikationsmedien zu diesem Thema hat das ISOE Empfehlungen zur richtigen Konzeption von Infomaterialien erarbeitet. Bei der Ansprache der Apotheker geht es in einem ersten Schritt um die Vermittlung von Faktenwissen: Wir schlagen dazu eine PR-Kampagne vor, die Artikel in den wichtigsten Fachmedien platziert. Gleichzeitig soll das Thema auch Teil der Aus- und Fortbildung werden. Zusätzlich soll die Beraterfunktion der Apotheken gestärkt werden. Die spezielle Zielgruppe der umweltsensiblen Kunden würde durchaus positiv darauf reagieren, wenn sie auf die Problematik der Medikamentenreste im Wasser hingewiesen würde. Bei allen anderen Kunden können und sollen die Apotheker ihre Rolle als Berater wahrnehmen: Sie betonen, wie wichtig die korrekte Einnahme (Compliance) und adäquate Packungsgrößen sind und warnen ihre Kunden, insbesondere die älteren, auch vor potenziellen Fehleinnahmen. Bei der Kommunikationsstrategie für Ärzte geht es im ersten Schritt ebenfalls um Wissen. Dabei muss aber deren Selbstverständnis als Wissenschaftler bei gleichzeitig niedrigem Wissensstand in diesem speziellen Feld berücksichtigt werden. Hier muss der Weg einer ‚diskursiven Selbstaufklärung‘ beschritten werden. Das Thema Medikamentenreste im Wasser kann somit nicht von Laien von außen an die Ärzte herangetragen werden, sondern muss in wichtigen Medien der Ärzteschaft und durch Verbandsfunktionäre angenommen und kommuniziert werden (top-down). Wenn es im zweiten Schritt um eine Problemsensibilisierung geht, muss mit starkem Widerstand eines Teils der Ärzteschaft gerechnet werden. Sie könnten fürchten, dass eine Einmischung in Heilungspläne aus Umweltsicht droht und betonen, dass Ärzte nicht für Umweltfragen zuständig seien. Letztlich steht – das haben empirische Untersuchungen des ISOE gezeigt – hinter dieser Problemabwehr ein Tabu: Es soll nicht darüber gesprochen werden, dass in zahlreichen Praxen zu viel verschrieben wird. Diese Problematik kann tatsächlich nicht aus der Umweltperspektive angegangen werden. Doch decken sich hier die Ziele des Gewässerschutzes mit den ökonomischen Zielen eines sparsamen Umgangs mit Arzneimitteln. Bei jeder Kommunikationsmaßnahme für diese Zielgruppe muss berücksichtigt werden, dass sich die Ärzte von dem, was sie als ‚Dauergesundheitsreform‘ aller Regierungen wahrnehmen, gegängelt fühlen. Sie sind keinesfalls bereit, eine neue Form der Regulierung, diesmal aus Umweltgründen, hinzunehmen. Ganz anders wird das Problem von ‚kritischen Ärzten‘ wie Umweltmedizinern und von Ärzten mit Naturheilschwerpunkt gesehen. Sie interessieren sich für die Problematik, weil sie einen Zusammenhang zwischen Umweltqualität und Gesundheit sehen. Außerdem haben sie Patienten, die an möglichst wenig Medikamentenverschreibungen, dafür aber an einer ‚sprechenden Medizin‘ interessiert sind. Wenn eine Kommunikationsstrategie also auch das schwierige Problem der übermäßigen Verschreibungen angehen will, empfiehlt es sich, die Erfahrungen dieser Mediziner einzubeziehen und zusätzlich auf eine ‚Bottom-up-Strategie‘ abzuzielen. Mit der Umsetzung der strategischen Kommunikation sollte eine Agentur beauftragt werden, die Erfahrungen im ‚Issue Management‘ vorweisen kann. Weiterhin sollte die Agentur Kenntnisse im Social Marketing und der Beeinflussung von Verhalten haben. Alle wichtigen Entscheidungen sollten von einem Konsens-Gremium (Runder Tisch ‚MeriWa‘1) verabschiedet werden, in dem die Ärzteschaft, die Apotheker sowie die Verbraucherinnen und Verbraucher angemessen repräsentiert sind

Energy challenges for ICT

The energy consumption from the expanding use of information and communications technology (ICT) is unsustainable with present drivers, and it will impact heavily on the future climate change. However, ICT devices have the potential to contribute signi - cantly to the reduction of CO2 emission and enhance resource e ciency in other sectors, e.g., transportation (through intelligent transportation and advanced driver assistance systems and self-driving vehicles), heating (through smart building control), and manu- facturing (through digital automation based on smart autonomous sensors). To address the energy sustainability of ICT and capture the full potential of ICT in resource e - ciency, a multidisciplinary ICT-energy community needs to be brought together cover- ing devices, microarchitectures, ultra large-scale integration (ULSI), high-performance computing (HPC), energy harvesting, energy storage, system design, embedded sys- tems, e cient electronics, static analysis, and computation. In this chapter, we introduce challenges and opportunities in this emerging eld and a common framework to strive towards energy-sustainable ICT

The potential of additive manufacturing in the smart factory industrial 4.0: A review

Additive manufacturing (AM) or three-dimensional (3D) printing has introduced a novel production method in design, manufacturing, and distribution to end-users. This technology has provided great freedom in design for creating complex components, highly customizable products, and efficient waste minimization. The last industrial revolution, namely industry 4.0, employs the integration of smart manufacturing systems and developed information technologies. Accordingly, AM plays a principal role in industry 4.0 thanks to numerous benefits, such as time and material saving, rapid prototyping, high efficiency, and decentralized production methods. This review paper is to organize a comprehensive study on AM technology and present the latest achievements and industrial applications. Besides that, this paper investigates the sustainability dimensions of the AM process and the added values in economic, social, and environment sections. Finally, the paper concludes by pointing out the future trend of AM in technology, applications, and materials aspects that have the potential to come up with new ideas for the future of AM explorations

Compost and digestate: sustainability, benefits, impacts for the environment and for plant production

This proceedings volume contains the papers presented at the CODIS 2008 congress held on 27 - 29 February 2008 in Solothurn (Switzerland).The composting and digestion of biogenic waste materials and the subsequent application of compost and digestate to soil contributes to nutrient recycling and renewable energy production. Moreover, compost and digestate can improve soil fertility and suppress plant diseases. On the other hand, compost and digestate may also contain a variety of pollutants hazardous to soil, such as heavy metals and organic contaminants.Compost and digestate have been thoroughly investigated in the framework of two associated projects entitled Organic Pollutants in Compost and Digestate in Switzerland and Effects of Composts and Digestate on the Environment, Soil Fertility and Plant Health. These projects yielded new insights into the properties of compost and digestate, mainly with regard to biological parameters and the occurrence of both classic and emerging organic pollutants.The CODIS 2008 congress was the final event of these two projects

Smart Waste Collection Processes - A Case Study about Smart Device Implementation

For decades the core processes of collecting waste have been unchanged. Through new IoT-technologies, advances in sensors, and data transfer technologies, data-driven smart waste collection processes will replace old inefficient collection processes. Causing a shift from fix collection intervals to collection on demand, supported by smart algorithms and innovative web-applications. However, implementing such ideas come along with some almost insurmountable challenges related to wireless data transfer, battery lifetime and IoT infrastructure. Therefore, the question arises of how to implement IoT solutions in such complex and challenging environments. In order to contribute to the existing research about smart cities and autonomous IoT devices, we implemented smart devices in glass containers, measuring filling level over several months. The research study’s outcomes are test results, data analysis and a prototype implementation for a reengineered waste collection process. Furthermore, we identified main challenges and key issues which obstruct the implementation and spread of such smart city applications