Camillus Uchenna Okonkwo, Liu Liyuan, Guo Jianbo, Tongzhe Wang, Cun Meng, Feng Qinzhong, Chen Yang
{"title":"Review on medical waste management in China and Nigeria.","authors":"Camillus Uchenna Okonkwo, Liu Liyuan, Guo Jianbo, Tongzhe Wang, Cun Meng, Feng Qinzhong, Chen Yang","doi":"10.1177/0734242X241271018","DOIUrl":"10.1177/0734242X241271018","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Medical waste management is an essential component of healthcare delivery globally due to the toxic and contagious potentials on human health and the environment. There are resource limitations in developing nations when it comes to the appropriate handling of medical wastes. In this article, we examined previous studies to evaluate the practices of medical waste management in China and Nigeria. Contextually, this work addresses medical waste practices in the context of waste generation, segregation, collection, storage, transportation, treatment and disposal. In addition to reviewing additional important aspects of medical waste management, the current study addresses potentials and challenges for efficient medical waste management in both countries. For this study; Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, PubMed, Agencies, Conferences, National and International Conventions were searched from 1998 up to 2023 for all studies reporting medical waste management in China and Nigeria. To further guarantee that only resource materials with similar research interests in medical waste management were selected, a double screening process was employed. The challenges of medical waste management in both countries are limited financing, inadequate training, ineffective legislation, ineffective medical waste transport system and insufficient treatment technology. Furthermore, this study offers practical recommendations by identifying the particular areas that require attention and development, such as training of healthcare workers, adequate financing of medical waste management projects, including research and development on efficient toxic emission reducing technologies, and partnership with other relevant authorities and stakeholders to ensure enforcement of national and local legislation.</p>","PeriodicalId":23671,"journal":{"name":"Waste Management & Research","volume":" ","pages":"632-648"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142156107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Which role for artificial intelligence in waste management? Let us ask her.","authors":"Mario Grosso","doi":"10.1177/0734242X251326533","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X251326533","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":23671,"journal":{"name":"Waste Management & Research","volume":"43 5","pages":"629-631"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144001358","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
Aziz Kemal Konyalıoğlu, Tuncay Ozcan, Ilke Bereketli
{"title":"Forecasting medical waste in Istanbul using a novel nonlinear grey Bernoulli model optimized by firefly algorithm.","authors":"Aziz Kemal Konyalıoğlu, Tuncay Ozcan, Ilke Bereketli","doi":"10.1177/0734242X241271065","DOIUrl":"10.1177/0734242X241271065","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Waste management has gained global importance, aligning with the escalating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated concerns regarding medical waste, which poses threats to public health and environmental sustainability. In Istanbul, medical waste is considered a significant concern due to the rising volume of this waste, along with challenges in collection, incineration and storage. At this juncture, precise estimation of the waste volume is crucial for resource planning and allocation. This study, thus, aims to estimate the volume of medical waste in Istanbul using the nonlinear grey Bernoulli model (NGBM(1,1)) and the firefly algorithm (FA). In other words, this study introduces a novel hybrid model, termed as FA-NGBM(1,1), for predicting waste amount in Istanbul. Within this model, prediction accuracy is enhanced through a rolling mechanism and parameter optimization. The effectiveness of this model is compared with the classical GM(1,1) model, the GM(1,1) model optimized with the FA (FA-GM(1,1)), the fractional grey model optimized with the FA (FA-FGM(1,1)) and linear regression. Numerical results indicate that the proposed FA-NGBM(1,1) hybrid model yields lower prediction error with a mean absolute percentage error value 3.47% and 2.57%, respectively, for both testing and validation data compared to other prediction algorithms. The uniqueness of this study is rooted in the process of initially optimizing the parameters for the NGBM(1,1) algorithm using the FA for medical waste estimation in Istanbul. This study also forecasts the amount of medical waste in Istanbul for the next 3 years, indicating a dramatic increase. This suggests that new policies should be promptly considered by decision-makers and practitioners.</p>","PeriodicalId":23671,"journal":{"name":"Waste Management & Research","volume":" ","pages":"726-737"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12038071/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142156106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
{"title":"Exploring relationships among landfill leachate parameters through multivariate analysis for monitoring purposes.","authors":"Thi Ngoc Nguyen, Masaki Takaoka, Taketoshi Kusakabe","doi":"10.1177/0734242X241265062","DOIUrl":"10.1177/0734242X241265062","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Elucidating the properties of landfill leachate and the relationships among leachate parameters is crucial for efforts to determine appropriate landfill leachate monitoring activity and management strategies. This study investigated the physical, chemical and optical parameters of leachate in an old Japanese landfill over a 13-month period. The parameters were explored based on their relationships with the maximum fluorescence (<i>F</i><sub>max</sub>) of three components (microbial humic-like C1, terrestrial humic-like C2 and protein-like C3) deconvoluted from excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with parallel factor analysis. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), Cl<sup>-</sup> and SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2-</sup> concentrations and pH ranged from 2.6 to 38.2 mg C L<sup>-1</sup>, 9 to 324 mg L<sup>-1</sup>, 14 to 972 mg L<sup>-1</sup>, 26 to 1554 mg L<sup>-1</sup> and 6.9 to 11.6, respectively. Linear regression analysis suggested that the <i>F</i><sub>max</sub> values of C2 and C3 represented DOC, whereas the <i>F</i><sub>max</sub> value of C2 alone could serve as a COD indicator. Hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis were employed to successfully categorise leachate samples based on their locations. Higher dissolved organic matter levels were observed in leachate within the old disposal area, whereas elevated levels of inorganic components such as SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2-</sup> and Cl<sup>-</sup> were found in leachate collected from the extended disposal area and at a treatment facility. Statistical analysis provides crucial tools for assessing and managing various areas of a landfill, supporting targeted and effective waste management strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":23671,"journal":{"name":"Waste Management & Research","volume":" ","pages":"762-774"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141789172","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
Fernanda Camila Martinez Delgado, Barbara Stolte Bezerra, Juliana Santiago Baldan, Hermes Moretti Ribeiro da Silva, Gladys Dorothea Cacsire Barriga
{"title":"Factors influencing consumer intention to sort household waste: A Brazilian perspective.","authors":"Fernanda Camila Martinez Delgado, Barbara Stolte Bezerra, Juliana Santiago Baldan, Hermes Moretti Ribeiro da Silva, Gladys Dorothea Cacsire Barriga","doi":"10.1177/0734242X241273779","DOIUrl":"10.1177/0734242X241273779","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Effectively sorting and recycling waste has consequently emerged as a key strategy for environmental preservation and the creation of sustainable communities. The current study aimed to examine the factors influencing consumers' intentions to sort household waste, utilizing the theory of planned behaviour. Collecting 300 responses from Brazilian consumers through structured questionnaires, the study employed a partial least square structural equation modelling approach to assess the proposed hypotheses. The findings emphasized the significant impact of the perceived cost and benefit factor, alongside the influence of information on proper waste disposal (perceived effectiveness), as communicated by entities managing selective waste collection. These findings emphasize the key role of effective communication from waste management agency regarding the outcomes of domestic waste separation efforts for recycling, as well as the perceived benefits and costs by consumers. Such communication is essential for fostering and maintaining consumer engagement in recycling initiatives.</p>","PeriodicalId":23671,"journal":{"name":"Waste Management & Research","volume":" ","pages":"697-708"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142296690","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
Wameed Alghazali, Simran Kaur, Paul J Van Geel, Shawn Kenny
{"title":"A comprehensive study of temperature data during the filling and post-closure phases at a landfill in Québec, Canada: Application of a thermal-mechanical-biological model.","authors":"Wameed Alghazali, Simran Kaur, Paul J Van Geel, Shawn Kenny","doi":"10.1177/0734242X241270938","DOIUrl":"10.1177/0734242X241270938","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A 12-year field study on municipal solid waste (MSW) stabilization in Northern climates was conducted at Ste. Sophie landfill in Québec, Canada. Temperature and settlement data were collected from 12 instrument bundles placed at varying depths in two vertical columns within the waste during the filling and post-closure phases. The data demonstrated a 12-18 month delay in temperature rise during the filling stages due to frozen or partially frozen MSW and highlighted ambient temperature effects at shallow depths. A thermal-mechanical-biological (TMB) model was developed and calibrated to simulate the impact of temperatures on MSW stabilization, particularly emphasizing landfills without leachate recirculation in Northern climates. The biological model related anaerobic heat generation from MSW with temperature and expended energy from biodegradation. The resultant heat was integrated into the thermal model, allowing for the simulation of heat transfer through conduction. The thermal parameters were expressed as a function of density, which was updated in the mechanical model that combined a Generalized Kelvin-Voigt model with a biodegradation-induced strain term. This term was represented as the ratio of expended energy over time to total potential expended energy of the waste. The TMB model effectively predicted MSW behaviour, considering temperature rise delays in cold and sharp rises in warm conditions. This is essential for optimizing landfill operations by promoting waste stabilization before applying the final cover.</p>","PeriodicalId":23671,"journal":{"name":"Waste Management & Research","volume":" ","pages":"738-748"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12038077/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142018803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
{"title":"Improving the shock resistance of anaerobic digestion under demand-oriented biogas production mode by using converter steel slag powder.","authors":"Yiyun Liu, Rongqi Wu, Jun Wu, Jianjun Li, Qin Zhang, Shisheng Wang, Guanghong Sheng","doi":"10.1177/0734242X251333692","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X251333692","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Introducing flexible biogas production (FB) can result in instantaneous high-shock loads for anaerobic digestion system, posing risks to the system's stable operation. Steel slag, a typical metallurgical solid waste, has been demonstrated to enhance the buffering capacity of digestion systems, thereby increasing methane production and achieving 'waste treatment using waste'. However, its efficacy under high-shock loads in FB is uncertain. Pulse feeding experiments simulating FB were conducted to analyse the system's impact resistance with steel slag addition and investigate its enhancement mechanisms. The addition of steel slag improved the methane production rate under various shock conditions, with a particularly notable enhancement under concentration shock. This scenario also saw a significant increase in the generation of soluble chemical oxygen demand and its utilization by microorganisms. This can be attributed to the enrichment of hydrolytic bacterial phyla (Firmicutes) and genera (<i>Gelria</i>), with functional gene analysis revealing an increase in genes associated with Fe(III) reduction and CO<sub>2</sub>-to-methane pathways. The study results indicate that the role of steel slag as an alkaline, iron-rich material enhances system alkalinity, reduces inhibition from H<sub>2</sub> partial pressure and boosts hydrogenotrophic methanogen activity, making it suitable as an exogenous enhancer for demand-oriented anaerobic digestion.</p>","PeriodicalId":23671,"journal":{"name":"Waste Management & Research","volume":" ","pages":"734242X251333692"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144018072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Understanding consumer behaviour in small waste electrical and electronic equipment collection: Insights from Australia.","authors":"Gimhan Jayasiri, Sunil Herat, Prasad Kaparaju","doi":"10.1177/0734242X251334242","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X251334242","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Production growth of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) has led to a significant increase in waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), with small EEE having the highest generation rate but the lowest formal collection rate globally. In Australia, many consumers tend to stockpile old small EEE, which limits collection rates and reduces the potential for resource recovery. This study aimed to assess consumer behaviour related to the collection of small EEE in Australia through a multivocal literature review and an online survey of 403 respondents. The analysis revealed that consumers are disposing of small WEEE along with general household waste, and most are uncertain of the correct disposal method. Almost half of the respondents are willing to pay to manage small WEEE and prefer to drop them at a designated location. Hence, to increase the collection rates, this study recommends setting realistic collection targets based on products on the market rather than waste generation estimates based on average lifespan. In addition, correct disposal can be encouraged by integrating small WEEE in kerbside collection and providing incentives. In order to strengthen this, awareness campaigns should target all age and income groups to increase collection rates and product circularity.</p>","PeriodicalId":23671,"journal":{"name":"Waste Management & Research","volume":" ","pages":"734242X251334242"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144044368","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
Ashikur Rahman, Teoh Ai Ping, Imran Mahmud, T Ramayah
{"title":"Investigating the factors affecting the intention to separate e-waste among mobile phone repairers in an emerging economy: A hybrid structural equation modelling and artificial neural network approach.","authors":"Ashikur Rahman, Teoh Ai Ping, Imran Mahmud, T Ramayah","doi":"10.1177/0734242X251330482","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X251330482","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The growing number of mobile phone users on a global scale has led to enormous amounts of electronic waste (e-waste) being generated annually. Insufficient knowledge of e-waste separation causes individuals to dispose of e-waste along with other waste. As a result, this cannot be used in the recycling process. The aim of this study is to determine the elements that significantly impact the intention of mobile phone repairers to carry out separation of e-waste. The integrated model incorporates Self-Determination Theory (SDT) factors (viz., amotivation, external regulation, identified regulation, intrinsic motivation, introjected regulation and integrated regulation) and Institutional Theory (IT) factors (viz., coercive pressure, mimetic pressure and normative pressure). Empirical data were collected through a printed questionnaire survey, with a total of 198 valid respondents. Moreover, this research utilized a hybrid data analysis method, using partial least squares structural equation modelling and artificial neural network to assess the model. The findings of this study indicate that all the SDT and IT factors are supported, except coercive pressure. This research adds to the existing body of knowledge on e-waste separation by shedding light on the problem from the viewpoint of mobile phone repairers, offering useful information to governments and waste recycling companies to understand the intentions of repairers with respect to e-waste separation and formulate such strategies that can enhance the involvement of repairers in e-waste separation activities.</p>","PeriodicalId":23671,"journal":{"name":"Waste Management & Research","volume":" ","pages":"734242X251330482"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144037069","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}
Meghann Matthews, Thomas L Webb, Sarah Greenwood, Rosie Sharp, Carla Roberts-Owen, Eric Saldanha, Tom McBeth, Nicola J Buckland
{"title":"Development and evaluation of an intervention to increase the collection of compostable packaging from households for industrial composting.","authors":"Meghann Matthews, Thomas L Webb, Sarah Greenwood, Rosie Sharp, Carla Roberts-Owen, Eric Saldanha, Tom McBeth, Nicola J Buckland","doi":"10.1177/0734242X251328964","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X251328964","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Certified compostable packaging has the potential to be a more sustainable alternative to some conventional plastics, but only if disposed of appropriately. This study developed and evaluated the effects of a behaviour change intervention on the disposal of compostable packaging in the co-mingled food and garden waste bin for industrial composting in households in the United Kingdom. The intervention targeted barriers to the appropriate disposal of compostable packaging as identified via focus groups, previous research and the capability, opportunity, motivation-behaviour model. Intervention components included front- and back-of-pack labels, tips on positioning of household bins, visual reminders to check packaging labels and which bin to use, and a bag of compost with an infographic highlighting what happens during the composting process. The intervention was delivered over 6 weeks to 120 households who were provided with compostable and non-compostable items. The results from online surveys completed at three time points (pre-intervention, post-intervention and follow-up) and weekly waste audits that assessed the weight of compostable packaging in the food and garden waste bin showed significant increases in perceived capability, opportunity and motivation to correctly dispose of compostable packaging via the food and garden waste bin over the course of the intervention and increased amounts of compostable packaging disposed of. The implications are that standardised, clear labels on industrially compostable packaging are needed to help residents to identify and appropriately dispose of this packaging. Strategies that automatically prompt which bin to use and increase residents' awareness and motivation to appropriately dispose of compostable packaging are also recommended.</p>","PeriodicalId":23671,"journal":{"name":"Waste Management & Research","volume":" ","pages":"734242X251328964"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144017017","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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}