Yunxiao Gao , Ze Han , Zhihui Li , Xiangzheng Deng
{"title":"Global grain crops non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation potential integrating food security and climate change scenarios","authors":"Yunxiao Gao , Ze Han , Zhihui Li , Xiangzheng Deng","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108543","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108543","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mitigating agricultural non-CO<sub>2</sub> emissions requires understanding component-specific pathways, particularly crop-derived N<sub>2</sub>O emissions that threaten climate goals and food security. This study assesses historical (2000–2021) and projected (to 2050) N<sub>2</sub>O emissions from five major grain crops by combining life-cycle assessment, Tapio decoupling analysis, and SSP-RCP–based scenario modeling. Global emissions rose from 469.1 Kt to 691.9 Kt, with strong regional disparities. While emissions and production were generally coupled, decoupling intensities varied across crops and regions. Under scenarios of 400 kg per capita grain possession, projected 2050 emissions range from 746.8 to 848.6 Kt, implying a 13.6% uncertainty. East Asia and North America show the highest mitigation potentials (84.1 Kt and 42.2 Kt), with maize, rice, wheat, and potatoes dominant in East Asia and soybean in North America. Africa and South Asia remain growth hotspots. Our findings highlight the need for region- and crop-specific mitigation strategies that balance productivity, equity, and emission goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 108543"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144842727","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}
Pia Drechsel , Alexander H. Kracklauer , Klaus Menrad , Thomas Decker
{"title":"From bag to better: A field study on the drivers of packaging choices for loose fruits and vegetables at the point of sale in Germany","authors":"Pia Drechsel , Alexander H. Kracklauer , Klaus Menrad , Thomas Decker","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108545","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108545","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Worldwide, billions of ultra-thin plastic bags for fruits and vegetables are used annually for convenience, contributing substantially to environmental pollution. To address this issue and better understand the drivers and barriers to adopting greener or packaging-free shopping behavior, this study examines real-life purchase decisions at the point of sale. A field experiment was conducted in four German supermarkets, combining structured observations of more than 3,000 fruit and vegetable purchases, followed by 413 quantitative interviews. Results show that more than half of consumers already avoid single-use plastic bags for bulk produce. Behavioral intentions, perceived knowledge, involvement, and emotional response contribute significantly to different packaging choices, whereas subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and environmental concerns have only a limited impact. This study advances theoretical research with empirical insights from real-world consumer behavior and provides practical guidance for stakeholders seeking to foster sustainable consumer behavior.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 108545"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144827178","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}
Tingting Liu , Kun Zhu , Shengnan Wang , Yufeng Wu
{"title":"Grandma always thinks you are hungry: Understanding care-driven food waste in multigenerational households","authors":"Tingting Liu , Kun Zhu , Shengnan Wang , Yufeng Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108544","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108544","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Caregivers in multigenerational households frequently purchase and stockpile excessive food due to fears that their grandchildren might go hungry or as an expression of affection, with grandparents most prominently exhibiting these behaviours. Such practices often lead to unnecessary food consumption and waste. Known colloquially in China as ‘Grandma Always Thinks You Are Hungry’, the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon remain underexplored. This study developed a comprehensive model to explain caregiver-driven food waste behaviours in Chinese multigenerational households by integrating frameworks from behavioural and social psychology, using structural equation modelling, multi-group analysis and artificial neural networks. Cognitive dissonance emerged as the primary psychological mechanism driving food waste among caregivers. It significantly reduced intentions to minimise food waste (β = −0.259) through three pathways: diminishing negative attitudes towards waste (β = −0.219), weakening perceived behavioural control (β = −0.214) and undermining subjective norms (β = −0.131). The false consensus effect (β = 0.219) further amplified cognitive dissonance by causing caregivers to overestimate grandchildren’s nutritional needs. These mechanisms were most pronounced among grandparents and female family members, creating distinctive patterns of ‘intergenerational bonding’ and ‘maternal care’. Multi-group analysis revealed that the effects of cognitive dissonance were significantly stronger among grandparents than parents, confirming the phenomenon’s particular relevance to elder caregivers. Future food waste reduction strategies should specifically target grandparent caregivers in multigenerational households. Educational campaigns promoting ‘moderation as a form of care’ may effectively mitigate unnecessary household food waste stemming from the ‘Grandma Always Thinks You Are Hungry’ mindset.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 108544"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144827179","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}
Haotian Zhang , Zhaohua Wang , Can Wang , Yueting Ding , Zhiyang Shen , Stéphane Blancard
{"title":"Critical material and regional inequality: Material demand under diverging decarbonization pathways in China’s power sector","authors":"Haotian Zhang , Zhaohua Wang , Can Wang , Yueting Ding , Zhiyang Shen , Stéphane Blancard","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108542","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108542","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>China's power sector decarbonization is crucial for global climate goals. However, regional disparities in decarbonization pathways and material demands arise due to differences in resource endowment, economic development, and policy support. This study develops an integrated assessment model to evaluate critical material demand for decarbonizing China's power sector under four scenarios: Business-as-Usual (BAU), Renewable Energy (RE), Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), and Advanced Nuclear (AN). The results show significant provincial variations, with eastern provinces favoring wind and solar, while western and coal-dependent regions rely on hydropower or CCS. Nationally, material demand peaks in the CCS scenario by 2060, especially for structural materials like copper (2250 Mt) and nickel (445 Mt). Functional materials such as silicon and indium see significant demand increases under PV-driven transitions, with silicon reaching 9300 kt and indium 14.2 Mt by 2060 in the RE scenario. These findings highlight the need for region-specific policies, long-term material supply planning, and addressing material demand imbalances for a sustainable energy transition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 108542"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144827177","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}
Peilin Chen , Arunima Malik , Jiahang Song , Manfred Lenzen , Zihao Chen , Mengyu Li , Zhan-Ming Chen
{"title":"Disparities and flows analysis of global leisure carbon footprints","authors":"Peilin Chen , Arunima Malik , Jiahang Song , Manfred Lenzen , Zihao Chen , Mengyu Li , Zhan-Ming Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108535","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108535","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Leisure is an important component of human life. Since human activities significantly contribute to global carbon emissions through final consumption, understanding CO₂ emissions embodied in leisure consumption is crucial for effective environmental management. Using a labor-closed environmentally extended input-output model, we assess the global leisure carbon footprint (LCF) for 2019, considering three leisure definitions. Results show that even under the narrow leisure definition, global LCF reaches 8 Gt, accounting for 18 % of global CO₂ emissions. Marked disparities in leisure consumption and LCF exist across countries. Based on countries’ per capita LCF, the top 10 % of the population contribute 30-40 % of total LCF, whereas the bottom half accounts for only 15-25 %. Furthermore, 32 %, 26 %, and 20 % of LCF under narrow, middle, and broad definitions are imported, with about two-thirds supporting leisure consumption in high-income countries. These findings offer a new perspective on carbon emission responsibility allocation across nations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"224 ","pages":"Article 108535"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144827070","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":"From risk to action: how perceived risks and cultural dynamics drive surplus food purchases in China and Spain","authors":"Muni Ni-Ying, Belén Derqui, Jorge Matute","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108533","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108533","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Surplus food retailing reduces waste and supports food security; however, cultural differences critically shape consumer behaviors. Combining the theory of planned behavior and risk theory, this study compares the drivers and barriers of purchase intentions for surplus food in China (<em>n</em> = 695) and Spain (<em>n</em> = 535) using multi-group analysis combined with necessary condition analysis. The results highlight that Chinese consumers’ intentions rely on perceived behavioral control (enabled by e-commerce and policies), personal norms and attitudes, whereas Spanish intentions hinge on physical, performance, and financial risk perceptions, with no significant behavioral control effects. The findings challenge one-size-fits-all approaches to food waste reduction, proposing an actionable framework in which China prioritizes digital infrastructure and norm-based campaigns, while Spain targets risk-transparent labeling and trust building. This study advances resource-efficient food systems by prioritizing contextual drivers, offering policymakers a roadmap for aligning surplus food strategies with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"223 ","pages":"Article 108533"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144779781","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}
Fan Yang , Hans Meerman , Yuli Shan , Zhenhua Zhang , Jinrui Zhang , Qi Li , Bingquan Zhang , Tianyang Lei , André Faaij
{"title":"Spatially explicit transition pathways for decarbonizing China’s steel industry during 2030–2050","authors":"Fan Yang , Hans Meerman , Yuli Shan , Zhenhua Zhang , Jinrui Zhang , Qi Li , Bingquan Zhang , Tianyang Lei , André Faaij","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108528","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108528","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>China’s steel industry has to achieve carbon-neutral by 2060, ideally by 2050. Current decarbonization roadmaps overlook the impact of resource geographical distribution on low-carbon technologies (scrap-based, H<sub>2</sub>-based and biomass combined CO<sub>2</sub> capture and storage [BECCS]). Here, we used a spatially explicit approach incorporating provincial available biomass/H<sub>2</sub>, steel plant locations and CO<sub>2</sub> storage sites combined a techno-economic selection model to explore carbon-neutral pathways for China’s steel industry (2030–2050). Results indicate that the modelling framework identifies the most cost-effective solutions for achieving nationwide carbon neutrality through a balanced mixture of above technologies, with BECCS being crucial. The mixture of options depend on the provincial availability and price levels of H<sub>2</sub> and biochar. Negative GHG emissions in one province can offset costly mitigation options in other provinces. Our results highlight the need for province-specific priorities for low-carbon steel plants based on regional resource availabilities to achieve national carbon neutrality and address resource challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"223 ","pages":"Article 108528"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144779782","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":"Composition analysis and resource route selection of food waste from different regions of China","authors":"Feng Liu , Yu Su , Yinguang Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108529","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108529","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To investigate the variation in food waste (FW) across China, waste from 15 cities with different economic levels and dietary habits was investigated. The wide range obtained for the carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio (11.36 –38.03) and total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) (29 616 –132 356 mg COD/L) indicates different chemical characteristics for the FW from the different cities, with indices such as amino acids, salinity, and capsaicin also presenting obvious regional differences. FW is partially hydrolyzed and acidified from production to pretreatment, and the abundant indigenous microorganisms in the FW are conducive to its recycling. However, high salinity levels and microplastics (MPs) pose considerable threats to the environment, directly reflecting problems in garbage classification and plastic control. Based on the results and urban profiles, the resource pathways for FW valorization in specific cities are proposed, to enable the production of methane, organic acids, alcohol, fertilizers, and insect proteins.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"223 ","pages":"Article 108529"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144771409","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":"Evaluating the potential to reduce the global demand for polymers","authors":"Yunhu Gao , André Cabrera Serrenho","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108518","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108518","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The widespread use of polymers leads to several environmental challenges, particularly greenhouse gas emissions and ecosystem contamination. Yet, the global mitigation potential of possible interventions has not yet been quantified. This requires a high-resolution model to anticipate the future demand for polymers, and the potential impacts of demand reduction and recycling. Here, we present such a model to estimate the production, trade, consumption, and the accumulation in service of 14 polymers across eight world regions. The results show that current trends could lead to doubling the annual global demand and waste generation of polymers by 2100. But increased demand could be avoided by either limiting the stock of polymers in service globally or by maximising the deployment of mechanical and chemical recycling technologies. A reduction in demand for polymers from current levels seems challenging, which may present additional obstacles to the decarbonization of this sector.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"223 ","pages":"Article 108518"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144766801","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}
Nupur Gupta , Tien Hoa Nguyen , Yin Ying Hng , Esha Sharma , Geok Leng Seah , Ying Siew Khoo , Yen Nan Liang , Poernomo Gunawan , Mun Wai Lee , Jia Wei Chew , Chor Yong Tay , Jaroslav Stavik , Hu Xiao
{"title":"Enabling waterless polycotton textile waste recycling via controlled partial depolymerization of polyester","authors":"Nupur Gupta , Tien Hoa Nguyen , Yin Ying Hng , Esha Sharma , Geok Leng Seah , Ying Siew Khoo , Yen Nan Liang , Poernomo Gunawan , Mun Wai Lee , Jia Wei Chew , Chor Yong Tay , Jaroslav Stavik , Hu Xiao","doi":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108512","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108512","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Less than 1 % of post-consumer textiles are currently recycled, largely due to the challenge of separating polycotton blends. This study introduces a novel, waterless chemical recycling method for highly pigmented 50/50 polycotton textiles, enabling selective depolymerization of polyester into oligomers while recovering cotton for fibre-to-fibre recycling. The process uses a polar aprotic solvent as a reaction medium with sub-stochiometric ratio of ethylene glycol or glycerol as cleaving agents to partially break down polyester, leaving cotton structurally intact. Polyester-derived oligomers, dyes and pigments remain in the solvent, allowing cotton to be recovered clean, free of residual colorants, minimizing downstream processing. The recovered cotton is blended with kraft pulp and spun into viscose fibres—demonstrating compatibility with existing textile production. This scalable, resource-efficient approach enables simultaneous cotton reuse, polyester oligomers upcycling without purification, and solvent recovery— offering a practical route to reduce virgin cotton use and environmental impact while advancing textile circularity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21153,"journal":{"name":"Resources Conservation and Recycling","volume":"223 ","pages":"Article 108512"},"PeriodicalIF":10.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144766802","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}