European Union legislation overview about used vegetable oils recycling: the spanish and italian case studies

The employment of used vegetable oils (UVOs) as raw materials in key sectors as energy production or bio-lubricant synthesis represents one of the most relevant priorities in the European Union (EU) normative context. In many countries, the development of new production processes based on the circular economy model, as well as the definition of future energy and production targets, involve the utilization of wastes as raw material. In this context, the main currently applied EU regulations are presented and discussed. As in the EU, the general legislative process consists of the definition in each State Member of specific legislation, which transposes the EU indications. Two relevant countries are herein considered: Italy and Spain. Through the analysis of the conditions required in both countries for UVOs’ collection, disposal, storage, and recycling, a wide panorama of the current situation is provided

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Green Sand Casting and Low Pressure Die Casting for the production of self-cleaning AlMg3-TiO2 Metal Matrix Composite

The growth in the use of novel materials, as it is the case of the Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs), is producing a positive impact in production processes, allowing to obtain final products with improved functionalities, such as an increase of the strength-to-weight ratio, or enhancement of the mechanical properties of the material, minimizing as well the environmental impacts and production costs without compromising the required technical properties. To determine and compare the environmental impact of different processes employing these materials, this paper provides a comparative analysis of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), under ISO 14040:2006 framework and European ILCD guidelines, of two different manufacturing technologies, Green Sand Casting (GSC) and Low Pressure Die Casting (LPDC), for the particular case of a self-cleaning doorknob, produced by an aluminium alloy reinforced with hard TiO2 nanoparticles, that confers special characteristics to the composite, such as an increase of the hardness value and tensile strength, a high wear resistance, a good chemical stability, and antibacterial properties. The results show a slight difference between both technologies in terms of kg CO2 eq. emitted, with just a 3,16 % variation, where GSC emissions are 13,098 kg, whereas 12,684 kg are released from LPDC. In addition, an economic analysis was performed, showing a 17 % cost reduction in case of LPDC. This study presents for the first time a comparative Life Cycle Assessment of GSC and LPDC, when employing new nanocomposite materials, contributing with novel datasets and meaningful insights to improve the state of the art in the field, serving as well as a support for manufacturers in decision making process involving the use of these technologies.This research has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant Agreement No. 826312) in the context of the LightMe project. It has also received funds from Board of Education of Junta de Castilla y León and the European Social Fund (EDU/1508/2020). The authors want to acknowledge the support of ÖGI (Österreichisches Gießerei-Institut) for the data about processes

Sustainability of phytoremediation: Post-harvest stratagems and economic opportunities for the produced metals contaminated biomass

Heavy metals (HMs) are indestructible and non-biodegradable. Phytoremediation presents an opportunity to transfer HMs from environmental matrices into plants, making it easy to translocate from one place to another. The ornate features of HMs’ phytoremediation are biophilia and carbon neutrality, compared to the physical and chemical remediation methods. Some recent studies related to LCA also support that phytoremediation is technically more sustainable than competing technologies. However, one major post-application challenge associated with HMs phytoremediation is properly managing HMs contaminated biomass generated. Such a yield presents the problem of reintroducing HMs into the environment due to natural decomposition and release of plant sap from the harvested biomass. The transportation of high yields can also make phytoremediation economically inviable. This review presents the design of a sustainable phytoremediation strategy using an everevolving life cycle assessment tool. This review also discusses possible post-phytoremediation biomass management strategies for the HMs contaminated biomass management. These strategies include composting, leachate compaction, gasification, pyrolysis, torrefaction, and metal recovery. Further, the commercial outlook for properly utilizing HMs contaminated biomass was presented.Authors apologize to all authors whose research has supported this area of interest, and their relevant findings were left out during the preparation of this review. Funding sources: This work was financed by the GREENER project of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (Grant Agreement No. 826312). It has also received funds from Board of Education of Junta de Castilla y Leon ´ and the European Social Fund

Calidad de la canal de corderos (ternasco y lechal) de la raza autóctona andaluza churra lebrijana

En la raza Churra Lebrijana (catalogada como “de protección oficial”) se ha estudiado por primera vez el potencial productivo de corderos lechales frente a ternascos (el peso vivo de estos animales fue de 11,38 y 18,48 Kg respectivamente). Para ello se estudiaron en 8 corderos machos de cada tipo las características de sus canales en relación a parámetros de pH, color, rendimiento comercial, medidas zoometricas, engrasamiento y despiece. Del trabajo se deduce que los ternascos ofrecen unas mejores características cárnicas que los lechales (tipo que es el que más se comercializa actualmente) por lo que es interesante su comercialización en este tipo comercial.In Churra Lebrijana breed (catalogued as "of official protection") the productive potential of suckling lambs has studied for the first time front to light lamb (the alive weight of these animals was of 11.38 and 18.48 kg respectively). For it the characteristics of their carcasses in relation to parameters of pH studied in 8 male lambs of each type, color, commercial yield, zoometric measures, fattening and quartering. Of the work it is deduced that the light lambs offer better meat characteristics than the suckling lambs (type that are the one that is commercialized more at the moment) reason why its commercialization in this commercial type is interesting.INIA RZ03-01