{"title":"Building-level material stock calculation method based on the room-specific material intensity and floorplan inferred by generative adversarial networks (GANs)","authors":"Seongjun Kim , Sun-Young Jang , Sung-Ah Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108289","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108289","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Material intensity (MI) considers an entire building as a single unit or a few large blocks. Therefore, current MI-based material stock analysis (MSA) methods have difficulty capturing detailed material stock changes according to design variations in individual buildings and securing reliability. This study introduces room-specific material intensity (RSMI) and proposes a building-level material stock calculation method based on RSMI and floorplans inferred through generative adversarial networks (GANs). Using the RSMI and room-specific areas extracted from the floorplan, the proposed method can calculate material stocks that vary depending on the building design. However, building floorplans on an urban scale are generally restricted. Therefore, the proposed method uses GANs to infer floorplans by analyzing building exterior information, which is obtainable from street view imagery, offering high accessibility and facilitating spatialized analysis. The results show that the proposed method improves the material stock calculation accuracy for the volume and sum of absolute errors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 108289"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143816191","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}
Zhiyuan Zong , Chitong Rao , Changjiang Du , Rong Lu , D.Chester Upham
{"title":"Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production in a circular CO2 economy: it's role in mitigating global CO2 emissions","authors":"Zhiyuan Zong , Chitong Rao , Changjiang Du , Rong Lu , D.Chester Upham","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108303","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108303","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of fossil-fuel derived plastic significantly contributes to resource depletion and global warming. This study provides a life cycle assessment of PHA production, including (1) fully transparent in-plant data with a cradle-to-grave scope, (2) a universal life cycle model with varying input variables to ensure results are adaptable to different scenarios, (3) optimization pathways for both environmental and economic aspects, and (4) forecasts of potential impacts and compare with recycled plastic across different future timelines and locations. The cradle-to-grave carbon footprint of PHA is determined to be 5.77 kg-CO<sub>2</sub>e/kg-PHA today - nearly equivalent to that of conventional fossil-based plastics (5.52 kg-CO<sub>2</sub>e/kg-plastic) – however, with reasonable improvements projected for 2030/35, PHA would result in a carbon footprint of 2.01 kg-CO<sub>2</sub>e/kg-PHA. The cost is also found to be similar ($1168/t vs $1320/t).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 108303"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143816196","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":"Potential effectiveness of extended producer responsibility: An ex-ante policy impact analysis for plastic packaging waste in Belgium, France, and Germany","authors":"Jakob T. Pruess , Rachael D. Garrett","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108297","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108297","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is a key policy principle to mitigate adverse effects of plastic pollution, holding producers accountable for their products' end-of-life management. Yet, assessment of EPR effectiveness is limited by data quality and causal research design for post-hoc analysis, especially with regard to analyzing country contexts. To grasp EPR's true impact, it is crucial to consider its broader regulatory, socio-economic, and value chain contexts. We introduce a refined ex-ante framework for evaluating potential effectiveness of EPR based on scope, design, and context. To test this approach, we apply the framework to Belgium, France, and Germany and find that all three show high effectiveness, albeit Germany ranks highest. Germany is strong in technology, recycling options and routes, but lacks transparency. Belgium and France grant municipalities greater influence yet face impending cost escalations. Our findings also underscore the need for EU-wide harmonization of several EPR design and implementation criteria.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 108297"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143816195","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}
Meta Thurid Lotz , Khaled Al-Dabbas , Matthias Rehfeldt , Andrea Herbst , Tobias Fleiter , Ernst Worrell
{"title":"Quantifying the impact of a circular economy in buildings on industry decarbonisation: Integrating material flow and industry modelling","authors":"Meta Thurid Lotz , Khaled Al-Dabbas , Matthias Rehfeldt , Andrea Herbst , Tobias Fleiter , Ernst Worrell","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108306","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108306","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A circular economy can contribute to reduce the demand for emission-intensive basic materials and to efficiently decarbonize the industry. However, current energy system models are not able to adequately depict this contribution in industry transformation pathways to guide policy making. To address this gap, we integrated material flow and industry modelling for a circular economy in buildings. Results show that a circular economy in buildings addressing material production, building design, and building use could reduce industrial material production, captured emissions, energy demand and cumulated costs for industry decarbonisation. It reduces particularly the use of hydrogen and carbon capture, which are associated with implementation barriers. The findings imply that a circular economy could contribute to the decarbonisation of the industry sector and that it is necessary to develop new policies that split financial burdens, incentivize collaborations and facilitate the more intense use of buildings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 108306"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143816194","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":"How does future decarbonization in industries affect the climate benefits of plastic recycling? A market share-based model for the avoided burden approach of life cycle assessment","authors":"Kazuma Hirata, Daiki Kata, Jun Nakatani","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108305","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108305","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the life cycle assessment (LCA) of recycling, the estimation of avoided burdens influences environmental benefits. This study formulated a model for the avoided burden approach in LCA that uses the market share of relevant materials and energy to take the impact of future decarbonization in the industry into account. The model was applied to a case study on recycling and recovery options for plastic packaging in Japan. The results showed that, as decarbonization progressed in the relevant industries, environmental benefits on climate change impacts were substantially affected for chemical recycling through gasification (ammonia production) and energy recovery (solid fuel production and use) but only marginally affected for mechanical recycling. It was suggested that recycling and recovery options that could provide secondary materials or energy for industries whose production processes would be reliant on fossil-derived materials be prioritized during the transition phase to a decarbonized society.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 108305"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143816193","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}
Dilakshan Rajaratnam, Rodney A. Stewart, Tingting Liu, Abel Silva Vieira
{"title":"A novel computer vision-based approach for autonomous building facade material stock estimation","authors":"Dilakshan Rajaratnam, Rodney A. Stewart, Tingting Liu, Abel Silva Vieira","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108311","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108311","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Estimating building stock at the elemental level is essential for a circular economy. However, the lack of information on building stock due to considerable time and costs associated with data collection poses a significant challenge in large-scale analysis. This study employed computer vision-based façade classification and weighted material intensity to estimate building façade material stock using a bottom-up approach. Autonomous semantic enhancements on façade material typologies and opening areas aided better estimation of building-facing materials’ weight. ResNet 50 deep learning architecture was chosen, with an F1 score of 0.77 and 80 % accuracy. Most façade classes have achieved a relatively high level of accuracy of predictions. “Common Brick”, “Face Brick”, “Concrete Blocks”, and “Concrete” were identified as the most widespread façade materials in the model deployed area of interest: Southport (SA3), City of Gold Coast, Australia. The model provides the necessary foundations for progressing circular economy and urban metabolism efforts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 108311"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143816192","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}
Felipe Rosas-Diaz , Cesar A. Juárez-Alvarado , Mingming Chen , Yunyang Ye , Rupert J. Myers , Daqian Jiang
{"title":"Biomass-based concrete could effectively decarbonize buildings in Mexico","authors":"Felipe Rosas-Diaz , Cesar A. Juárez-Alvarado , Mingming Chen , Yunyang Ye , Rupert J. Myers , Daqian Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108264","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108264","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The building sector's substantial material consumption drives significant negative environmental impacts, necessitating sustainable alternatives. Through integration of life cycle assessment (LCA) and building energy simulation, we demonstrate that buildings made with “sargassum-based concrete” (SBC) – a concrete containing aggregates from unwanted biomass – could achieve notable climate change benefits. The main reason is SBC's reduced thermal transmittance, which lowers the energy demand for cooling and heating. Using Mexico's climate and typical residential house as a case study, we estimate that SBC buildings can reduce life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions in 29 out of 32 Mexican states over a 50-year lifespan. The reductions can reach 15.8 % in states with extreme climates (hot or cold) and further increase with extended building longevity. These findings highlight biomass-based concrete as a potential strategy for biomass utilization and building decarbonization in regions with similar resources and climate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 108264"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143816190","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}
Yizhe Wang , Linxiu Wu , Ziyi Wei , Tang Tan , Yajuan Yu , Zhen Wang , Kai Huang
{"title":"Coordinating food security and environmental performance in Belt and Road agri-food systems","authors":"Yizhe Wang , Linxiu Wu , Ziyi Wei , Tang Tan , Yajuan Yu , Zhen Wang , Kai Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108304","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108304","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agricultural and food security cooperation has emerged as a cornerstone of the current Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). However, most BRI countries are facing the twin challenges of ecological degradation and food insecurity. Here, we developed a Boundary–Impact–Coupling framework by integrating Doughnut Economics, Multi-regional Input–Output Models, and the Coupling Coordination Degree Model. Within this framework, we delineated the dual boundaries of agri-food systems, namely the ecological ceilings and food security thresholds, and identified the food security and environmental performance of BRI countries in 2020, along with their interactions. Results indicate that most BRI countries face dual crises of environmental boundaries transgressions and food insecurity. Trade-offs between food security and environmental performance are widespread, underscoring the necessity for sustainable agricultural transitions. These findings offer valuable insights to support policies that balance food security and environmental sustainability, thereby promoting a green transformation in agriculture within the BRI.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 108304"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143792351","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}
Andrea Martino Amadei , Lucia Rigamonti , Davide Tosches , Serenella Sala
{"title":"Combining MFA and LCA models to unveil the EU plastic value chain impacts","authors":"Andrea Martino Amadei , Lucia Rigamonti , Davide Tosches , Serenella Sala","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108279","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108279","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plastics value chains are complex, due to different feedstocks, sectors of applications and variety of end-use products. Material Flow Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment can be integrated to map the life cycle impacts associated with material flows along the plastic value chain. In this study, the environmental impacts of the entire European Union plastic value chain were evaluated for 9 sectors, from production to end-of-life with polymers-specific granular details and addressing 16 environmental impact categories. In the baseline scenario, Climate Change impacts due to the EU plastic value chains amounted to 279 Mt CO<sub>2</sub> eq., with plastic production contributing to 124 Mt CO<sub>2</sub> eq. Sensitivity scenarios explored variations in flows and production volumes and implementation of cleaner energy mixes along the plastic life cycle, decreasing Climate Change up to 28 %. Results proved how combined improvements along the value chain or plastic production reductions are necessary to enable significant impacts’ savings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 108279"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143792248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Renfei Li , Ying Yuan , Beidou Xi , Kunlong Hui , Yu Jiang , Hui Wang , Wenbing Tan
{"title":"Enhancing anaerobic methane oxidation in landfill cover soils with leachate recirculation","authors":"Renfei Li , Ying Yuan , Beidou Xi , Kunlong Hui , Yu Jiang , Hui Wang , Wenbing Tan","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108281","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108281","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Enhancing anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) in landfill cover soils represents a cost-effective strategy for mitigating methane emissions. Recirculating leachate provides diverse electron acceptors that support AOM, but the effects vary across landfills. Here, we conducted anaerobic incubations of cover soil with 10 different leachates and stable isotope labeling to examine their impact on AOM. Results showed significant variability in AOM rates (over 60 %), influenced by ammonia nitrogen (NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>-N), nitrite nitrogen (NO<sub>2</sub>⁻-N), and total organic carbon (TOC). AOM was reduced by 24 % and 37 % at 5000 mg/L NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>-N and 1000 mg/L TOC, respectively, while it increased by 30 % when NO<sub>2</sub>⁻-N was below 100 mg/L. The structural equation model demonstrated that TOC and NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>-N directly and indirectly suppressed AOM by suppressing <em>Methylobacter</em>, while NO<sub>2</sub>⁻-N promoted AOM by stimulating <em>Methylobacter</em>. This work proposes a strategy for simultaneous leachate disposal and carbon mitigation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 108281"},"PeriodicalIF":11.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143792249","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}