Resources Conservation and Recycling最新文献

{"title":"How accurate are LCAs for pyrolysis and gasification in the context of plastic waste management?","authors":"Tu Xayachak ,&nbsp;Nawshad Haque ,&nbsp;Deborah Lau ,&nbsp;Raj Parthasarathy ,&nbsp;Nargessadat Emami ,&nbsp;Biplob Kumar Pramanik","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108764","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108764","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pyrolysis and gasification are often presented in the life cycle assessment (LCA) literature as environmentally promising solutions for plastic waste management. However, the lack of validated large-scale inventory data and limited use of uncertainty/statistical analysis cast doubts on the findings. This study aims to investigate the validity of these conclusions by modelling LCA for pyrolysis (PYR) and gasification (GASI) using two data sources: Aspen-generated data (ASP) and aggregated literature data (LIT). The novelty of this study lies in applying uncertainty propagation tailored to each source, enabling systematic evaluation of result variability. Using a functional unit of 1 kg mixed polyolefin (MPO) waste treated, our results show that Aspen-based scenarios exhibit narrower uncertainty ranges than their literature-based counterparts. For instance, the variability in terms of global warming potential for PYRO (ASP) ranged from 0.751 to 1.53 kg CO₂ eq/kg MPO waste treated, whereas that of PYRO (LIT) ranged from 1.24 to 6.51 kg CO₂ eq/kg MPO waste treated. Similarly, GASI (ASP) had a more constrained 95 % confidence interval (from 2.56 to 4.97 kg CO₂ eq/kg MPO waste treated) compared to that of GASI (LIT), which spanned from 2.20 to 15.58 kg CO₂ eq/kg MPO waste treated. Other impact categories, including acidification, freshwater eutrophication, freshwater ecotoxicity, and resource depletion, also showed considerably varied results. These disparities largely stem from many underlying assumptions and simplification during Aspen modelling, leading to reduced number of variables. Conversely, literature-based LCA models are constrained by repeated reuse of data and by inconsistencies in system boundaries, which exacerbate result variability. These issues suggest that the consensus in support of chemical recycling rests on a narrower data foundation than often assumed. As such, we recommend that LCA findings be used as policy reference only when supported by robust case-specific data, and transparent uncertainty analysis. While these findings provide crucial perspective for stakeholders and decision-makers, it is important to note that the methodology applied in this study is limited by various practical factors, including simplification of Aspen modelling and LCA system boundaries, as well as inherent limitations related to data gathering protocol.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 108764"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145823270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Revealing the impact of electric vehicles trade restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions and welfare","authors":"Lanxin Zhang ,&nbsp;Zongguo Wen ,&nbsp;Xin Sun ,&nbsp;Yihan Wang ,&nbsp;Tingting Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108744","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108744","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global transition to electric vehicles (EV) is essential for decarbonization, yet it is increasingly challenged by a surge in trade restrictions. Existing studies lack a comprehensive impact assessment of EV trade restrictions. This study integrates multi-regional partial equilibrium model with emissions accounting method to quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and welfare effects under various trade policy scenarios. Our analysis reveals that trade restrictions reduce global EV output values by 0.5 %-2.4 %, especially in export-dependent regions such as South Korea. While bilateral trade restrictions cause moderate global welfare losses (up to US$4.6 billion) and emission increases (up to 2.3 MtCO₂e), global extension substantially exacerbates these impacts, leading to welfare loss of US$18.2 billion and emissions increase of 10.5 MtCO₂e. In contrast, trade liberalization generates significant co-benefits, boosting global welfare by US$26.1 billion and reducing emissions by 31.3 MtCO₂e. The results demonstrate that trade restrictions on EV harm both welfare and climate objectives. This study provides critical quantitative evidence for policymakers to integrate trade and climate strategies for a sustainable EV transition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 108744"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145730842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vegetable yields and environmental impacts vary widely across types, production technologies, and global regions","authors":"Shiyu Cao ,&nbsp;Lu Wang ,&nbsp;Yi Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108735","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108735","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vegetables are vital for sustainable and healthy diets, but their global environmental footprints remain unclear. This study quantitatively reviews the life-cycle environmental impacts of 13 major vegetables by synthesizing &gt;100 studies. Vegetable yields and environmental impacts vary widely across types, production technologies, and global regions. Median yields and environmental impacts of the most productive vegetable types can exceed those of the least productive types by &gt;40 times and &gt;5 times, respectively (e.g., 356.0 vs. 8.4 t ha⁻¹; 0.86 vs. 0.17 kg CO₂e kg⁻¹). Compared with open-field systems, facility‑grown systems have generally much higher yields (e.g., +548 % for tomato) and lower blue water footprint (e.g., −75 % for lettuce) but higher carbon footprint (e.g., +273 % for tomato) due to energy-intensive operations. Reducing facility carbon footprint requires energy decarbonization and improved irrigation and nutrient management. On average, carbon footprint, blue water footprint, acidification, eutrophication, human toxicity, and land use per kg of vegetables produced are estimated at 0.52 kg CO₂e, 0.08 m³, 2.73 g SO₂e, 2.37 g PO₄³⁻e, 0.14 kg 1,4‑DCBe, and 0.17 m² a. These quantitative benchmarks can support region-specific mitigation prioritization and inform policy and industry decisions for lower-impact vegetable supply chains. Geograpically, the compiled data skew toward Europe, and in terms of environmental impacts, concentrate on carbon footprint, highlighting the need for more diverse regional coverage and inclusion of non-carbon footprints.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 108735"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145730845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantifying environmental impacts of circular economy approaches through life cycle assessments: A case study in materials science on ceramic matrix composites","authors":"Florian Halter ,&nbsp;Lars Wietschel ,&nbsp;Denny Schüppel ,&nbsp;Nicoletta Narres ,&nbsp;Anna Schneller ,&nbsp;Kevin Christopher Dorling ,&nbsp;Andrea Thorenz ,&nbsp;Dietmar Koch ,&nbsp;Axel Tuma","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108776","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108776","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The circular economy and the use of lightweight composites are two promising concepts for reducing resource consumption in future products. While circular economy approaches close loops and minimize resource loss, the application-specific design of composites reduces material demand. This study combines these concepts by discussing circular economy approaches for the lightweight material class of ceramic matrix composites. Suitable approaches were identified and compared using life cycle assessments to determine the environmental impact reductions. Twenty-two circular economy approaches were identified for the primary processing routes on four different life-cycle stages (circular inputs, external and internal loops, and end-of-life (EoL)). The most significant reduction is achieved by alternative input materials and EoL options, especially by using recycled carbon fibers, followed by various EoL options, such as recycling and repair processes. Combining several circular economy approaches reduces the current global warming potential of processing routes for CMC by up to 94%.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 108776"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"AI-enhanced sorting enabling direct high-purity tantalum urban mining: a novel pathway from e-waste to critical materials","authors":"Dong Xia ,&nbsp;Kok Yuen Koh ,&nbsp;Raunaq Nayar ,&nbsp;Colin Locoge ,&nbsp;Nicolas M. Charpentier ,&nbsp;Mya Mya Khin ,&nbsp;Tien Hoa Nguyen ,&nbsp;Guillaume Zante ,&nbsp;Hicham Khodja ,&nbsp;Jean-Christophe P. Gabriel","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108717","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108717","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tantalum’s supply chain instability demands efficient urban mining from e-waste. Here, we present an AI-enhanced process that combines intelligent sorting with sustainable hydrometallurgy for high-yield/high-purity Ta recovery. A hybrid sorting system, cascading an interpretable convolutional neural network (CNN) with automated multi-energy X-ray transmission (MEXRT) spectroscopy, achieved 99.6 % precision and 96.9 % recall at 3000 components/hour, resolving the Ta/Nb ambiguity. Spatial activation mapping illustrated the visual sorting mechanism, facilitating feature-driven upgrading. Meanwhile, Canny edge detection and K-edge detection enabled real-time and pixel-wise spectral analysis under multithreaded processing. Downstream, streamlined physical separation and thermodynamically guided reverse leaching selectively recovered Ta with 98.2 % efficiency under mild conditions. Advanced characterization using transmission electron microscopy and ion beam analysis revealed a quantifiable core-shell Ta/Ta₂O₅ structure in leached products, guiding calcination into &gt;99.8 % pure Ta₂O₅. This work establishes a closed-loop urban mining framework, demonstrating how AI and tailored refining enable a circular economy for critical metals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 108717"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145657887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergistic mechanism for greenhouse gases reduction, pollution control, and economic development in the plastic packaging industry: A coupled analysis of material, value, and environmental flows","authors":"Mingxuan Tuo ,&nbsp;Ming Yang ,&nbsp;Yifan Gu ,&nbsp;Guangwen Hu ,&nbsp;He Peng ,&nbsp;Rui Li ,&nbsp;Tong Liu ,&nbsp;Yufeng Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108712","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108712","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The plastic packaging industry is the largest and fastest-growing industry in plastic consumption, bringing significant economic profits while also facing multiple pressures from greenhouse gases emission (GHGs) and environmental pollution. To reveal the synergistic mechanisms of GHGs reduction, pollution control, and economic development, this study constructs a dynamic carbon-pollution-economy nexus model. Based on eight scenarios, we explore synergistic strategies for the plastic packaging industry. Results show that in 2060, China’s plastic packaging consumption will initially rise and then decline, reaching 43.4 million metric tons (Mt). GHGs from the plastic packaging industry will reach 140.4 Mt, while environmental pollution and economic profit is expected to increase by 32.3 % and 53.7 % compared to 2020, respectively, leading to a sustainability coordination index of 56.0. Through synergistic scenario analysis, it is recommended that promoting the substitution of secondary plastics with increasing recycling rates and improving energy recovery efficiency are crucial to establish a closed-loop supply system for the plastic packaging industry. It is the basis for synergistic GHGs reduction, pollution control, and economic development. Moreover, the use of biodegradable plastics should be approached with caution. The chemical recycling technologies should be promoted based on their maturity. Compared to the business as usual scenario, the optimal scenario can increase economic profit by 24.5 % while reducing GHGs by 60 % and pollution by 21.2 % in 2060.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 108712"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145657891","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Regional dynamics of Nd stocks, flows, and required industrial capacities: insights from EV and wind turbine material flows","authors":"Olivier Karl Anton Heldwein ,&nbsp;Fridolin Krausmann ,&nbsp;Johann Fellner","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108761","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108761","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Neodymium is a critical raw material essential for electric vehicle (EV) motors and wind turbines in a decarbonized energy system. This study applies stock-driven, dynamic material flow analysis to investigate stock-flow development of Nd in light-duty EVs and wind turbines under the IEA’s Net-Zero-Emissions Scenario across five world regions and explores recycling potentials to meet regional demand. It shows that China keeps exporting as primary production exceeds domestic demand and could leverage refining capacity for recycling. In Europe, secondary supply temporarily surpasses demand as stocks decrease, while India’s circularity potential is hampered by continuous stock-growth. In the US, planned primary production and recycling could cover demand by the 2040s. Globally, secondary supply could meet &gt;60 % of Nd-demand in light-duty EVs and wind in 2050, with mining decreasing from its 2035 peak to current levels. Fast mining expansion and the subsequent shift to secondary production require strategic planning and political support.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 108761"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145839905","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Releasing the compound potential of abandoned cropland through recultivation, afforestation, and photovoltaic solutions","authors":"Tao Liu ,&nbsp;Le Yu ,&nbsp;Xiaoran Wu ,&nbsp;Wenchao Qi ,&nbsp;Qiming Zheng ,&nbsp;Hui Wu ,&nbsp;Xin Chen ,&nbsp;Dailiang Peng ,&nbsp;Changkun Shao ,&nbsp;Yuyu Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108760","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108760","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Unlocking the potential of abandoned cropland is widely recognized as a promising strategy for enhancing land-use efficiency and achieving land sustainability. However, the specific pathways and achievable yield potential remain poorly quantified. Here, we integrated geospatial data, multi-modeling, and scenario analysis methods to evaluate the potential for food production, carbon sequestration, and photovoltaic (PV) power generation via recultivation, afforestation, and PV deployment incentives on China’s abandoned cropland. Our results show that China’s abandoned land has the potential to yield 17.63 – 42.53 Pcal yr⁻¹ of food, sequester 4.58 – 6.21 Tg C yr⁻¹ of carbon, and generate 2.18 – 5.50 PWh yr⁻¹ of clean energy, depending on the scenario of land reuse. We found that prioritizing regionally tailored strategies could further amplify land-use efficiency. For example, afforesting 0.93 Mha of abandoned land in Southwest China (24.6 % of the total abandoned area) has the potential to sequester 2.13 Tg C yr⁻¹, accounting for 34.3 % of the maximum carbon sequestration potential. Further analysis reveals that transforming from rain-fed to irrigated practices could enhance food production potential from abandoned land by 30.4 – 55.3 %, and future climate changes may lead to potential spillover effects (increasing 1.67 ± 2.36 %, standard deviations across different Shared Socioeconomic Pathway scenarios) of PV power generation. Collectively, our findings underscore that multiple pathways for repurposing abandoned land are essential for harnessing its full suite of land resources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 108760"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145785183","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impacts of surrounding land development on fragmentation within global protected areas","authors":"Ning Zhang ,&nbsp;Chenwei Shang ,&nbsp;Jianguo Wu ,&nbsp;Qing Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108749","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108749","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Land development intensity surrounding protected areas (PAs) is rising, yet its impacts on internal fragmentation remain unclear at the global scale. Using data for 4995 PAs worldwide from 2000 to 2020, we quantified the surrounding land development intensity and two forms of within-PA fragmentation on the global, continental, and biome scales: landscape fragmentation (the breaking up of an entire PA landscape mosaic) and habitat fragmentation (the breaking up of a single habitat type in a PA landscape). Our results revealed that more than half of PAs experienced increasing development pressures from surrounding areas, with the steepest rise within 1 km of PA boundaries. Among PAs with intensifying surrounding land development, habitat fragmentation increased more broadly across PAs than landscape fragmentation. Habitat area density (H_AD) and edge density (ED) were the most responsive metrics to surrounding development. In Asia’s Tropical &amp; Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests, 73.7 % of PAs showed declining H_AD under intensifying surrounding development, indicating pronounced habitat fragmentation. In South America, 74.1 % of PAs exhibited increasing ED, reflecting heightened landscape fragmentation. Asian tropical moist forests emerged as a global hotspot with PAs such as Keo Seima, Nam Ha, and Panbari RF showed strong multi-metric responses. External pressures arising from surrounding development—such as pollution, invasive species, fires, and hydrological alterations—may extend into the interiors of PAs and affect their internal habitat structure, representing a persistent challenge for conservation management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 108749"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145785190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment of electrodialysis for ammonium recovery","authors":"Zhengwen Zhang ,&nbsp;Mohammed Tahmid ,&nbsp;Hyuck Joo Choi ,&nbsp;Marta C. Hatzell ,&nbsp;Roger H. French ,&nbsp;Chris Yuan","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108716","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108716","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Electrodialysis technology is a promising technology for recovering ammonium ions from anaerobic digestion digestate. In this study, a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment model was developed to evaluate the environmental performance of electrodialysis for ammonium recovery, with system boundary encompassing upstream production, use, and end-of-life phases. The environmental impacts of the electrodialysis technology were assessed using the ReCiPe 2016 midpoint method and benchmarked against those of the baseline air stripping (AS) technology. The cradle-to-grave energy consumption of electrodialysis is 28.74 MJ per kilogram of ammonium recovered, representing a 32.3 % reduction compared to that of AS technology. Additionally, electrodialysis exhibits lower impact values across all 13 evaluated environmental categories, with reductions ranging from 13.1 % to 90.4 %. With continued technological advancement, electrodialysis offers significant potential as an environmental-friendly technology for industrial-scale ammonium recovery.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 108716"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145657889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}