Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Material and Waste Management'

Material efficiency is a key solution to provide a reduction in the total environmental impact of global manufacturing, which contributes to avoid generating larger volumes of industrial waste, to reduce extracting and consuming ever more resources and to decrease energy demand and carbon emissions. However, the area of material efficiency in manufacturing has been under-researched and related knowledge is limited. The research objective of this thesis is to contribute to the existing body of knowledge regarding material efficiency in manufacturing - to increase understanding, describe the existing situation and develop support for improvement. This thesis focuses on value of process and residual materials in material efficiency: to increase homogenous quality of generated waste with higher segregation rate, decreasing the amount of material becoming waste and reduce total virgin raw material consumption without influencing the function and quality of a product or process. To achieve the objective, material efficiency strategies, existing state of material efficiency in manufacturing and barriers that avert higher material efficiency improvement have been investigated. The results are supported by four structured literature reviews and two [MW1] empirical multiple case studies at large global manufacturing companies in Sweden, mainly automotive. Empirical studies include observations, interviews, waste stream mapping, waste sorting analysis, environmental report reviews and walkthroughs in companies to determine the material efficiency and industrial waste management systems. The empirical results revealed that material efficiency improvement potential of further waste segregation to gain economic and environmental benefits is still high. Determining different waste segments and relative fractions along with calculating material efficiency performance measurements facilitate improvements in material efficiency. In addition to attempts for waste generation reduction, avoiding blending and correct segregation of different waste fractions is an essential step towards material efficiency. The next step is to improve the value of waste fractions i.e. having more specific cost-effective fractions. Waste Flow Mapping proves to be an effective practical tool to be utilized at manufacturing companies in order to check and explore the improvement opportunities. In addition, a number of barriers that hinder material efficiency was identified. The most influential material efficiency barriers are Budgetary, Information, Management and Employees. The majority of identified material efficiency barriers are internal, originate inside the company itself and are dependent upon the manufacturing companies’ characteristics. As a result, management and employees’ attitude, environmental knowledge and environmental motivation, as well as their internal communication and information sharing, and companies’ core value and vision are the enablers for material efficiency improvement.
MEMIMAN
INNOFACTURE - innovative manufacturing development

While wastage of materials has become a serious problem requiring urgent attention in the Nigerian Construction Industry, cost overrun is a problem, which affects 90 percent of the completed projects in the world; the argument on how to reduce/eliminate cost overrun has been on-going for the past 70 years; as the on-site wastage of materials leads to increases in the final project cost. Studies from different parts of the world have shown that construction-material waste represents a relatively large percentage of the production costs. Consequently, as a result of low levels of awareness, the Nigerian construction industry pays little attention to the effects of generated material waste on cost overruns. Thus, this research aimed to investigate the relationship between material waste and cost overrun in the Nigerian construction industry. A comprehensive review of the related literature revealed that all material waste causes are related to cost overrun causes at both pre-contract and post-contract stages of a project; but not vice versa. The mixed method (quantitative and qualitative) approach that is rooted in the positivist paradigm was adopted for this study. Abuja, the federal capital territory of Nigeria was the selected geographical scope of this research, out of which thirty-one (31) construction projects were purposeful selected (projects to the value of 100 million Rand/1.6 billion Naira and above).The research instrument was an interview guide used in conjunction with a tick box. Other sources of data included field investigation (measurement of onsite material waste) and the collection of archival records from bills of quantities, project records, and specifications. Analyses of the findings lead to the conclusion that a relationship exists between material waste and cost overrun; at the pre-contract and at the post-contract stages of a project. The implication is that an increase in material wastage on-site leads to a corresponding increase in the amount of cost overrun, regardless of the percentage allowance for material waste in the process of bill preparation. The study also concluded that the average percentage contribution of material waste to project-cost overruns is four (4) percent. Material-waste sources, causes, and control measures were found to have significant effects (very high, high, medium, low, and very low), in causing or minimising cost overruns at both pre-contract and post-contract stages of projects. The research has developed a conceptual model for the management of material waste and cost overruns in the construction industry based on the results and informed by the theoretical framework. The research has also developed a mathematical model for quantifying the amount of material waste to be generated by a project; as well as a mathematical equation for the effective management of material waste and cost overrun for projects. The study has achieved its aim of establishing an understanding of the issues leading to the relationship between material waste and cost overruns, as well as their management in the Nigerian construction industry. The study recommends that the management of material waste and cost overrun should be revised, based on the findings of this research and included as part of the procurement process. The mathematical models for quantification of onsite material waste, and the mathematical equation for managing material waste and cost overruns developed in the study, could be usefully adopted to improve management of material waste and cost overrun in the Nigerian construction industry.

Construction waste management is critical today. One of the most serious issues confronting the building industry is the scarcity of aggregate for the manufacturing of concrete. Wasted construction materials resulted in significant financial losses for builders, contractors, regional governments, and the country. Because the waste generated by demolition of structures is greater than the waste generated during development, there is a need for Construction and Demolition Management (C & D) In India, wastes, as opposed to Municipal Solid Wastes, is a relatively new topic. To begin with, there is no accurate estimate of the amount of waste produced in India. The main reason is that less focused on this issue. The proper utilization of building waste is a solution to the construction industry's rapid degradation of virgin raw materials. There is a lack of a regulatory framework and strict enforcement in this problem. This study contains specific recommendations for closing the loopholes in the problem. The current global status of building and demolition waste management is examined in this research, as well as the sustainable waste management hierarchy, to address the waste issue. Methods and various construction reuses are presented in this paper so that waste material created during demolition can be properly utilized. The importance of the reduce, reuse, and recycle (3R) concept for managing construction waste in India is highlighted in this research.

Food waste and fashion pollution are two of the significant global environmental issues throughout the recent past. In this research, it was investigated the feasibility of making a leather-like material from bread waste using biotechnology as the bridging mechanism. The waste bread collected from the supermarkets were used as the substrate to grow filamentous fungi species Rhizopus Delemar and Fusarium Venenatum. Tanning of fungal protein fibres was successfully performed using vegetable tanning, confirmed using FTIR and SEM images. Furthermore, glycerol and a biobased binder treatment was performed for the wet-laid fungal microfibre sheets produced. Overall, three potential materials were able to produce with tensile strengths ranging from 7.74 ± 0.55 MPa to 6.92 ± 0.51 MPa and the elongation% from 16.81 ± 1.61 to 4.82 ± 0.36. The binder treatment enhanced the hydrophobicity even after the glycerol treatment, an added functional advantage for retaining flexibility even after contact with moisture. The fungal functional material produced with bread waste can be tailored successfully into leather substitutes using an environmentally benign procedure.

La tesi aborda el metabolisme socioeconòmic de totes les Comunitats Autònomes (CCAA) espanyoles entre 1996 i 2010, adaptant les metodologies harmonitzades a nivell estatal per a la seva aplicació regional. Sent escassos els antecedents d'aquests càlculs, es plantegen una sèrie de reptes metodològics i conceptuals que cal adreçar per dur a terme la comptabilitat de fluxos materials a escales regionals. S'aborda en primer lloc l'elaboració d'una base de dades de fluxos materials i el càlcul dels principals indicadors d'extracció, comerç interregional i internacional, consum i productivitat en termes biofísics en el període estudiat, on el boom immobiliari i la posterior crisi provoquen dinàmiques molt marcades d'increment de l'extracció de recursos naturals i d'importacions internacionals. A més, es quantifica el volum de comerç biofísic entre CCAA desvetllant la rellevància del comerç de productes de construcció durant els anys de creixement econòmic i una gran disparitat en els valors dels indicadors principals al llarg de les CCAA. A continuació, es realitza un estudi més detallat de les dinàmiques del comerç per tipus de material i analitzant el mercat internacional i interregional per separat. Es troba una dependència absoluta de totes les CCAA del mercat exterior per metalls i combustibles fòssils i es modelitzen els principals rols comercials de les CCAA en el mercat internacional i interregional per a la biomassa i els minerals no metàl·lics. Malgrat algunes limitacions metodològiques, s'aconsegueix realitzar un perfil de les CCAA espanyoles pel que fa al seu paper en el desplaçament de càrregues ambientals mitjançant el comerç i es quantifica el pes dels minerals de construcció en aquests fenòmens. Destaca el rol de Madrid com a regió altament dependent per a tots els materials i per tant responsable d'una forta càrrega ambiental desplaçada a altres CCAA i altres països. Finalment, es realitza una anàlisi de la gestió de residus municipals de les CCAA espanyoles pel que fa al compliment dels objectius de reciclatge de la Unió Europea. Es troba, a l'igual que en el cas de l'extracció, el consum i el comerç, perfils molt diferents que desemboquen en resultats dispars pel que fa a la gestió de residus municipals. S'identifica la distància de les CCAA als objectius europeus i es plantegen els mínims que han de complir pel que fa a polítiques bàsiques de gestió de residus per aconseguir l'objectiu de reciclatge plantejat. En tot cas, totes les CCAA espanyoles estaven lluny de complir amb la normativa europea, i en particular s'incideix sobre la necessitat d'una política més eficaç de recollida de biorresidus, una coordinació de les eines fiscals i en particular dels impostos a l'abocament, i una disparitat pel que fa a tecnologies que fa imprescindible la seva normalització i la disseminació de les millors tecnologies disponibles per al conjunt del territori. En conjunt es conclou que el metabolisme de les CCAA espanyoles, tant pel costat de les entrades de materials com pel costat de la gestió de residus, presenta disparitats que apunten a una polarització de les càrregues ambientals derivades del procés econòmic. A més, es conclou que la manca de dades sobre variables bàsiques de metabolisme socioeconòmic, amb importància econòmica i ambiental, segueix sent un llast per a la investigació orientat a informar les polítiques públiques.
La tesis aborda el metabolismo socioeconómico de todas las Comunidades Autónomas (CCAA) españolas entre 1996 y 2010, adaptando las metodologías armonizadas a nivel estatal para su aplicación regional. Siendo escasos los antecedentes de estos cálculos, se plantean una serie de retos metodológicos y conceptuales que es necesario abordar para llevar a cabo la contabilidad de flujos materiales a escalas regionales. Se aborda en primer lugar la elaboración de una base de datos de flujos materiales y el cálculo de los principales indicadores de extracción, comercio interregional e internacional, consumo y productividad en términos biofísicos en el periodo estudiado, donde el boom inmobiliario y la posterior crisis provocan dinámicas muy marcadas de incremento de la extracción de recursos naturales y de importaciones internacionales. Además, se cuantifica el volumen del comercio biofísico entre CCAA desvelando la relevancia del comercio de productos de construcción durante los años de crecimiento económico y una gran disparidad en los valores de los indicadores principales a lo largo de las CCAA. A continuación, se realiza un estudio más detallado de las dinámicas del comercio por tipos de material y analizando el mercado internacional e interregional por separado. Se encuentra una dependencia absoluta de todas las CCAA del mercado exterior para metales y combustibles fósiles y se modelizan los principales roles comerciales de las CCAA en el mercado internacional e interregional para la biomasa y los minerales no metálicos. A pesar de algunas limitaciones metodológicas, se consigue realizar un perfil de la CCAA españolas en cuanto a su rol en el desplazamiento de cargas ambientales mediante el comercio y se cuantifica el peso de los minerales de construcción en estos fenómenos. Destaca el rol de Madrid como región altamente dependiente para todos los materiales y por tanto responsable de una fuerte carga ambiental desplazada a otras CCAA y otros países. Finalmente, se realiza un análisis de la gestión de residuos municipales de las CCAA españolas en cuanto al cumplimiento de los objetivos de reciclaje de la Unión Europea. Se encuentra, al igual que en el caso de la extracción, el consumo y el comercio, perfiles muy diferentes que desembocan en resultados dispares en cuanto a la gestión de residuos municipales. Se identifica la distancia de CCAA a los objetivos europeos y se plantean los mínimos que deberán cumplir en cuanto apolíticas básicas de gestión de residuos para conseguir el objetivo de reciclaje planteado. En todo caso, todas las CCAA españolas estaban lejos de cumplir con la normativa europea, y en particular se incide sobre la necesidad de una política más eficaz de recogida de biorresiduos, una coordinación de las herramientas fiscales y en particular de los impuestos al vertido, y una disparidad en cuanto a tecnologías que hace imprescindible su normalización y la diseminación de las mejores tecnologías disponibles para el conjunto del territorio. En conjunto se concluye que el metabolismo de las CCAA españolas, tanto por el lado de las entradas de materiales como por el lado de la gestión de residuos, presenta disparidades que apuntan a una polarización de las cargas ambientales derivadas del proceso económico. Además, se concluye que la falta de datos sobre variables básicas del metabolismo socioeconómico, con importancia económica y ambiental, sigue siendo un lastre para la investigación orientad a informar a las políticas públicas.
The thesis addresses the socioeconomic metabolism of the whole of the Spanish Autonomous Communities (AC) between 1996 and 2010, adapting the harmonized methodologies at the national level for their subnational application. Since the background of these calculations is scarce, a series of methodological and conceptual challenges are addressed to carry out material flow accounting at subnational scales. First, the elaboration of a database and the calculation of the main indicators of extraction, interregional and international trade, consumption and productivity in biophysical terms is addressed in the period studied. During this period, the housing bubble and the subsequent crisis caused very marked patterns of increased extraction of natural resources and international imports. In addition, the volume of biophysical trade between AC is quantified, revealing the relevance of trade of construction products during years of economic growth and a great disparity in the values of the main indicators across AC. Next, a more detailed study of trade patterns by types of material and analysing the international and interregional and international markets separately is developed. An absolute dependence on foreign metals and fossil fuels is identified and the main commercial roles of the AC in the international and interregional market for biomass and non-metallic minerals are modelled. Despite some methodological limitations, the commercial profile of the AC is calculated and their environmental burden shifting through trade including construction minerals is quantified. Madrid stands out as a highly dependent region for all materials and therefore responsible for a strong environmental burden shifting towards other AC and other countries. Finally, an analysis of the municipal waste management of the AC regarding the fulfilment of the European Union’s recycling targets is carried out. It is found that, as in the case of extraction, consumption and trade, very different management profiles exist, which leads to differing results in terms of municipal waste management. The distance to the target of the AC is identified and the minimum policies required for accomplishing the target are identified. In any case, all AC were far from complying with the European recycling targets. Some measures required to close this gap are a more efficient policy for the separate collection of bio-waste; a coordination of fiscal tools, particularly landfill taxes; and the standardization and the dissemination of the best available technologies. Overall, it is concluded that the socioeconomic metabolism of the AC, both regarding the input side and waste management, presents disparities that points to a polarisation of the environmental burdens derived from the economic process. In addition, it is concluded that the lack of data on basic variables of economic and environmental relevance jeopardises research aimed at informing public policies.
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Programa de Doctorat en Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals

Hazardous materials can be generally deemed as any material which, because of its quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical, or infectious characteristics, may cause, or pose a substantial or potential hazard to human health or the environment. In the context of "sustainable development", most 'materials' could be deemed to be 'hazardous' at some stage of their lifecycle, i.e. from extraction to final disposal. This PhD study develops a decision support system for engineers and policy makers to help limit environmental burden, by reducing the environmental risk and the associated carbon footprint, from the perspective of 'hazardous' materials in product design, through the application of 'game theory' and 'grey theory' etc, as well as various computational approaches, by helping the designer identify novel solutions or mitigation strategies. The thesis starts by introducing the problem situation of the study and identify the research objectives, as well as previous studies have been reviewed in order to set this study in context. Since it is evident that consumers drive the open market, and their preference may be influenced by the carbon footprint label of products, the decision support system proposes an improved carbon labelling scheme to demonstrate the significance of a product‘s carbon footprint in a more visual way. The prototype of the scheme is derived from the concept of 'tolerability of risk', providing a framework by which judgments can be made as to whether society will accept the risk from hazardous materials. Application of game theory for decision support is a novel approach in this study, which aids decision-making by selecting appropriate strategies for both organisations and policy makers to reduce environmental impact. In this context, a game between manufacturers and government in the field of clean production is generated with various game scenarios to reflect the variation trend of strategic actions, and then developed to discuss the reduction of the inherent risk posed by 'hazardous' materials and carbon emissions on the supply chain network. The 'hierarchy of waste' suggests that the most preferable state for sustainability is prevention or the elimination of waste. Although this is not wholly practicable in real terms, the framework gives the importance to waste minimisation and prevention, especially promotes the cleaner production. In addition to strategy selection for mitigating environmental impact, the decision support system also develops an evaluation methodology for application by engineers to aid decision-making on materials selection, thus to improve the materials performances, promote cleaner production and provide better and sustainable products for public consumption.

The project cost overruns instigated through the loss of construction materials lowers the profitability of each stakeholder significantly. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies managerial leaders of a large construction firm used to counteract material cost overruns successfully. The diffusion of innovation theory was the conceptual framework for this study. The target population consisted of 6 managerial leaders with experience in large construction projects adhering to waste management standards and industry certifications. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and review of company documentation. The data analysis approach involved the content analysis research method to interpret and code the verbatim transcriptions of interviews into categories. The 2 principal categories from the study data were material management and planning and the supply chain and logistics. The results of the study yielded evidence of 2 strategies to counteract the material cost overruns, which were to strengthen partnerships with the suppliers and to hold regular audits at the project sites. The implication of this study for social change includes the potential to conserve depleted land minerals and valuable land reserves from becoming landfill by providing construction managers with information about strategies to counteract material cost overruns.

This work deals with the use of solidification technology for the disposal of hazardous waste with the aim of its material recovery. The goal of this Master's Thesis is to find and verify a new solidification way that will allow efficient transformation of hazardous waste into new material and its further use in civil engineering.

The objective through my PhD has been to investigate radiation damage effects in materials related to fusion and to safe encapsulation of nuclear waste, using Molecular Dynamics (MD) methods. Particularly, using MD, we acquire essential information about the multi-scale phenomena that take place during irradiation of materials, and gain access at length and time-scales not possible to access experimentally. Computer simulations provide information at the microscopic level, acting as a bridge to the experimental observations and giving insights into processes that take place at small time and length-scales. The increasing computer capabilities in combination with recently developed scalable codes, and the availability of realistic potentials set the stage to perform large scale simulations, approaching phenomena that take place at the atomistic and mesoscopic scale (fractions of m for the first time) in a more realistic way. High-energy radiation damage effects have not been studied previously, yet it is important to simulate and reveal information about the properties of the materials under extreme irradiation conditions. Large scale MD simulations provide a detailed description of microstructural changes. Understanding of the primary stage of damage and short term annealing (scale of tens of picoseconds) will lead to better understanding of the materials properties, best possible long-term use of the materials and, importantly, new routes of optimization of their use. Systems of interest in my research are candidate fusion reactor structural materials (iron and tungsten) and materials related to the radioactive waste management (zirconia). High-energy events require large simulation box length in order for the damage to be contained in the system. This was a limitation for previous simulations, which was recently shifted with my radiation damage MD simulations. For the first time high-energy radiation damage effects were simulated, approaching new energy and length scales, giving a more realistic view of processes related to fusion and to high-energy ion irradiation of material.

The limited amount of natural resources on our planet has been actively discussed during the past decade. Recycling materials is becoming increasingly important in order to benefit the economy and the environment. The purpose of this study is to conduct a material flow analysis of the construction and demolition waste in the Helsinki metropolitan area to find out whether or not the goals set by the EU Waste Framework Directive can be reached by 2020. The study aims to map out the flows and suggest improvements wherever needed. The study is conducted by using a case study, HSY Ekomo, the first fully operational circular economy hub in Finland. The results show that both the municipality and private sector are well over the required goal of 70% recyclability rate of construction and demolition waste with a steady positive improvement from the first year of operations. The improvements were over 10% between the year 2016 and 2017. The private sector experiences some turbulence regarding legislation issues such as noise- and environmental permits which limits the economic benefit of recycling construction and demolition waste. Continued monitoring and faster adaption to international standards (such as the EU Waste Framework Directive) is required in order to be able to benefit the most economically and environmentally out of circular economic initiatives.
Den begränsade mängden naturresurser som existerar på vår planet har diskuterats under det senaste decenniet aktivt. Återvinning av material blir allt viktigare i dagens samhälle och vi kan se en trend var utvecklingen strävar efter beslut som har rötterna i cirkulär ekonomiskaprinciper. Resultatet av diskussionerna har blivit höga måtsättningar för medlemsländerna i Europeiska Unionen gällande återvinning var målet är att uppnå en återvinningsgrad på 70% innan 2020 för bygg- och rivavfall. Studien använder materialflödes analys (MFA) som metod för att kartlägga och kvantifiera flödnena av bygg- och rivavfall. Materialflödes analysen använder data från årsrapporter och statistik som blivit tillgängligt av HSY (statligt ägt bolag) samt av intervjuerna som utfördes på fältet. För att kvantifiera flödena på basis av den konceptuella modellen avnändes mjukvaran STAN. Avhandlingen strävar efter att ta första steget för att kartlägga materialflöden av bygg- och rivavfall i huvudstadsregionen (Helsingfors). Målet är att skapa en modell som kan användas som botten i framtida undersökningar och att kvantifiera modellen med existerande data för att se ifall målsättningarna stadgade av Europeiska Unionen kommer att uppnås innan 2020. Studien utfördes på cirkulär ekonomi stationen Ekomo för att kunna göra upp modeller för den privata sektorn och den kommunalla sektorn eftersom båda är verksamma på Ekomo. Resultaten av anvhandlingen var följande: Den privata sektorn och staten uppnår en återvinningsgrad på över 90% vilket är väl över stadgan satt av den Europeiska Unionen under året 2017 med en stadig utveckling från året innan med en väldigt liten andel som placeras på soptipp. Resultaten visar en stark utveckling av intresse från hushåll och företag för återvinning eftersom antalet kunder och lastbilar som besökt stationen ökat starkt under de senaste fem åren. Även om målsättningarna inom återvinning är uppnådda finns det ärenden som måste behandlas för att försäkra en fortsatt positiv utveckling. Den privata sektorn upplever att begränsade möjligheter för återanvänd krossbetong minskar efterfrågan på produkten, vilket gör den finansiellt svår att integrera i deras försälning. Buller- och miljötillstånd tvingar för tillfället bolagen att transportera bygg- och rivmaterialet utanför rivmålet, t.ex till Ekomo, för att krossas vilket ytterligare skapar finansiella problem för den privata sektorn. Lösningar för att göra återvinning av riv- och byggnadsmaterial för den privata sektorn lukrativare behövs för att inspirera flera organisationer att ansluta sig till arbete mot ett mera cirkulärt samhälle. Monitorering och snabbare anpassningsförmåga för internationella standarder krävs för att kunna utnyttja cirkulär ekonomiska initiativ på bästa möjliga sättet. För att komplettera avhandlingen skulle det vara intressant att se resultaten av en livcykelanalys (LCA) gällande samma flöden för att identifiera miljörelaterade problem och för att optimera flöden.

Landfilling waste material is still one of the most common methods to take care of waste in a big part of the world. Gaborone, the capital of Botswana located in the southern part of Africa is no different in this way. The major part of all waste is landfilled in Gaborone and there is only a minor part of all collected material that is recycled. One solution that earlier studies suggest is to build a transfer and recycling station in the city of Gaborone that can contribute to a more sustainable waste management. This study aims to identify the major waste streams of recyclable waste and also the major stakeholders that are active in this area through an exploratory study involving interviews, a workshop and a survey. The result of this thesis can hopefully assist in the preparations for such a transfer station. The conclusions of this study are many and contains of both hard facts and also loose ends that can contribute to pursue further studies. The first important result is that all the waste collection companies transports everything they collects to a landfill and it is only recycling organizations that are working with collection and recycling in Gaborone. These recycling organizations are a few but smaller compared to the waste collection companies in collected amounts of material. Besides these collection organizations, Gaborone City Council, the local municipality works with collection of household waste and the collaboration between these three groups that operates in the same environment is very poor. All the interviewed stakeholders showed a positive interest in the transfer and recycling station but there is only a small part of the commercial business in Gaborone that believes in a more serious waste management than landfilling. Despite that one major shopping mall actually sort out recyclables and saves 30% in waste management costs thanks to that. Another issue is the prevailing cultural contradictions that is obvious among the organizations in Gaborone. The last two bigger issues is the tremendously dull political bureaucracy that is appearing in Botswana and also that voices are raised that corruption is great beneath the surface.

Decades  ago,  1  ton  of  steel  required  80  kg  of  refractory  material.  While  the  scenario  has completely changed over the years. Today, 1 ton of steel needs approximately 11 kg of refractory material   depending   on   the   steelworks.   Refractories   are   accustomed   to   high-temperature processes,  for  example,  producing  steel,  glass,  etc.  The amount of  spent  refractories has  also increased  with the increase in demand for its production. For the manufacturing of refractories, there is a tremendous use of virgin raw materials but with the increase in price and reducing raw material   sources,   it  will   be  difficult  to   continue  in  that   way  in  the  future.  While,  the environmental  concerns  in  steel  industries  are  increasing  on  a  rapid  scale  such  as  global environmental pollution, natural  resource conservation, and the most important increase in cost for  landfilling.  Therefore,  achieving  zero  waste  and  proper  usage  of  material  from  spent refractories is necessary for economic and environmental reasons in future. This project work focuses on collecting information regarding the refractory waste management for  aid  towards   more   sustainable  Swedish  steel  industries.  The  project  is  carried  out  in collaboration  with  KTH  Royal  Institute  of  Technology  and  the  Swedish  steel  producers association  Jernkontoret.  This  work  focuses  on  a   survey   of  well-known  Swedish  steel companies Sandvik Materials Technology (SMT) AB and Höganäs AB. The scientific work concentrates on the investigation of MgO-C bricks mixed waste, collected from Mireco AB, up to a grain size of 20 mm. Three samples of varying compositions and different grain sizes were collected  from  the  recycling  site  and  processed  for  carbon  reduction.  On  several  trails,  the maximum  carbon  elimination  was  achieved at a  temperature higher than  800°C with holding time longer than 5h. The fines underwent mechanical pressing of 40 MPa to form pellets of 16 mm and 32 mm in diameter. The main traced elements of MgO, SiO2, CaO, Al2O3  and Fe2O3  can be utilized for applications in the agricultural industry. MgO is present in the maximum quantity (70-80%).  By  possible  extraction  of  MgO  from  the  fines  can  be  employed  in  the  crucible industry,  construction industry  and steel  industry for slag  formation. The MgO  in the form of supplements for magnesium deficient soils or calcium magnesium oxide for neutralizing the pH of  the  soil  by  balancing  the  acidity  can  be  employed.  The  compatibility of the  fines can be helpful  to  resolve  transportation  issues and benefit  convenient addition to processes. Overall, this  work  brings  to  the  fore  a  high  potential  for  using  such  waste  refractory  materials  forapplications besides landfilling with an emphasis on agriculture.
För decennier sedan krävde 1 ton stål 80 kg eldfast material. Medan scenariot har förändrats helt genom åren. Idag behöver 1 ton stål cirka 11 kg eldfast material beroende på stålverk. Eldfasta produkter är vana vid högtemperaturprocesser, till exempel produktion av stål, glas etc. Mängden förbrukade  eldfasta  produkter  har  också  ökat  med  ökad  efterfrågan  på  dess  produktion.  För tillverkning av eldfasta produkter finns det en enorm användning av jungfruliga råvaror men med prisökningen  och  minskade  råvarukällor  blir  det  svårt  att  fortsätta  på  det  sättet  i  framtiden. Medan  miljöproblemen  inom  stålindustrin  ökar  i  snabb  skala,  såsom  global  miljöförorening, bevarande av naturresurser och den viktigaste ökningen av kostnaderna för deponering. Därför är det  nödvändigt  att  i  framtiden  uppnå  noll  slöseri  och  korrekt  användning  av  material  från förbrukade eldfasta anläggningar av ekonomiska och miljömässiga skäl. Detta projektarbete fokuserar på att samla in information om eldfast avfallshantering för stöd till mer  hållbar  svensk  stålindustri.  Projektet  genomförs i samarbete  med KTH Royal  Institute of Technology och den svenska stålproducentföreningen Jernkontoret. Detta arbete fokuserar på en undersökning  av  välkända  svenska  stålföretag  Sandvik  Materials  Technology (SMT) AB  och Höganäs AB. Det vetenskapliga arbetet koncentrerar sig på undersökningen av blandat avfall av MgO-C-tegel,  samlat  från Mireco  AB, upp till en kornstorlek på 20 mm. Tre prover med olika kompositioner  och  olika  kornstorlekar  samlades  från  återvinningsstället  och  bearbetades  för kolreduktion. På flera stigar uppnåddes den maximala kolelimineringen vid en temperatur högre än 800 ° C  med en hålltid  längre än 5 timmar.  Böterna  genomgick mekanisk  pressning av 40 MPa  för att bilda pellets med 16 mm och 32 mm i diameter. De viktigaste spårade elementen i MgO,  SiO2,  CaO,  Al2O3 och Fe2O3  kan användas för applikationer inom jordbruksindustrin. MgO finns i den maximala kvantiteten (70-80%). Genom möjlig utvinning av MgO från böterna kan användas i degelindustrin, byggindustrin och stålindustrin för slaggbildning. MgO i form av tillskott  för  magnesiumbristjord  eller kalciummagnesiumoxid för neutralisering av jordens pH genom balansering  av surheten  kan användas. Böternas kompatibilitet kan vara till hjälp för att lösa transportproblem och gynna praktiska tillägg till processer. Sammantaget ger detta arbete en hög   potential   för   att   använda   sådana   eldfasta   avfallsmaterial   för   applikationer   förutomdeponering med tonvikt på jordbruk

The aim of this study was to determine the quantity of construction waste for several construction materials and to state the probable origins of this waste, depending on case studies in Turkey. There is a lack of documented quantitative data in Turkey on how much material waste the construction industry generates and what amount of such materials remain unused due to this waste. Although some amount of waste is accepted as unavoidable, the probable reasons for it are unclear. Therefore, the study focused on determining waste percentage values for certain materials based on several construction projects and assessing the reasons for this as stated by the professionals who were involved in the construction process of these projects. For practical reasons, it was confined to the material amounts in the bill of quantities, progress payment reports and invoices for four different construction materials
namely, ready-mixed concrete, rebar, brick and floor block, which belonged to eight different projects of two construction companies. Data compiled on these aspects were analyzed statistically via ANOVA and regression analyses. The results showed that waste percentage values displayed differences among materials. Design-related aspects, skill level and attitude of labor, incorrect calculation of material quantities, contractual clauses and material defects were the most effective reasons for waste within the projects analyzed.

Purpose: This thesis’ purpose is to identify a CLSC model of flat glass, including actors,waste sources, and what can be done with recycled flat glass. In addition, this researchaims to propose a cost structure of a flat glass CLSC. Thus, this thesis’ research questions(RQ) are: RQ1: How can closed-loop supply chains (CLSC) for the purpose of flat glasslook like? RQ1.A: What actors are a part of a flat glass CLSC? RQ1.B: What are thewaste sources of flat glass in a flat glass CLSC? RQ1.C: What are the uses of flat glassas secondary material? RQ2: How can a cost structure for a closed-loop supply chain(CLSC) for the purpose of flat glass look like?  Method: For this purpose of this thesis the researchers chose to employ a pragmatistresearch philosophy. The thesis is an exploratory qualitative study using an abductiveapproach. A case study strategy was used, and data was collected through semi-structuredinterviews and a literature review. Seven interviews were conducted with the six casecompanies. Findings: A flat glass CLSC consists of three phases: manufacture, use, and secondary(raw) material. The main actors are float glass manufacturer, flat glass processor/refiner,flat glass distributor, construction and demolition company, flat glass recycler, and freighthauler. Sub-actors of a flat glass CLSC are raw materials supplier, government, thirdparty contractors, container glass manufacturer, and glass wool manufacturer. Secondarymaterial occurs during flat glass manufacturing, distribution/transport, construction, anddemolition. It can be divided into three types, i.e., pure, high quality cut-offs,contaminated flat glass, and end-of-use flat glass. The possible uses of flat glass assecondary material are float glass, container glass, and glass wool manufacturing. Thecost structure for a flat glass CLSC divides cost elements into the three phases of a flatglass CLSC and six supply chain cost categories, which include manufacturing cost,distribution cost, warehousing cost, administration cost, capital cost, and installation cost. Theoretical Implications: This master’s thesis helps in adding to two research areas: flatglass and CLSC. By reviewing existing literature and conducting the case studies inChina, Germany, and Norway, the researchers can reflect the current practices of flat glassCLSCs in different countries, thereby adding to existing scientific research to close theresearch gap of flat glass CLSCs. Practical Implications: This master’s thesis contributes to practice by providing a flatglass CLSC model and cost structure which can be used as a starting point of developinga flat glass CLSC and its cost structure. In addition, this thesis is connected to anotherbigger research project in collaboration with the Linnaeus University and the city ofVäxjö, the findings from this thesis are beneficial for improving the situation of flat glassin Sweden. Societal Implications: By researching circularity in CDW, this master’s thesis helps notonly the city of Växjö but also other Swedish cities to improve the situation of flat glassand strive towards a full circular economy, further contributing to an increase insustainability in Sweden.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-100).
Concern for environmental degradation has been a motivating factor in the efforts to reuse or recycle construction and demolition waste. The intention is not only to reduce environmental desecration, but also to recycle the construction and demolition waste into potential building materials to be reused elsewhere. This study investigated the supply and demand of recycled construction materials in the Western Cape, and aimed to determine the perception held by important stakeholders about these materials. A qualitative analysis of the case study results revealed that poor waste management plans implemented on construction and demolition sites have affected the quality, supply and price of recycled materials. In addition to this it was also revealed that the negative perceptions regarding recycled materials were the major barriers to creating an established secondary market. Inadequate knowledge and experience were major contributors to resistance to change of perceptions. A case study was conducted on Malans Quarries Recyclers in order to determine the supply of raw materials (construction and demolition waste) reaching the recycling plant; the supply of recycled materials to the end user (consumer); and the recycling process that takes place. A sample of fifteen respondents from a variety of large, medium and small construction contractors, as well as consultants and civil engineering companies, completed a questionnaire to determine the demand for and perceptions about these materials. The qualitative analysis of the results of the questionnaires showed that the majority of respondents still preferred to use primary materials over recycled materials. However, it appears that the gap between respondents who prefer to use primary materials, and those who utilize recycled materials, has narrowed in comparison to results obtained in previous studies. It seems that there may be more usage of recycled materials in the future. The results also revealed that tax cuts, could be a good economic incentive to encourage the use of recycled material. The questionnaire results also revealed that the majority of the respondents believed that landfill taxes where not effective in discouraging the illegal dumping of waste, and that the lack advertisements, and difficulties in obtaining recycled materials played a crucial role in the under-use of recycled materials.

SCA Obbola är ett pappersbruk som satsar på framtiden och håller på att utöka sin produktion. Projektet kallas Expansion Obbola och fabriken planerar öka kapaciteten från 450 000 ton till 725 000 ton. Peab är utförandeentreprenad för projektet, arbetet startade år 2018 och förväntas vara färdigt till år 2023. I samarbete med Peab har ett examensarbete utförts på projektet Expansion Obbola för att ta reda på hur arbetet med materialspill ser ut i projektet i dagsläget och om möjligheten finns att minska mängden materialspill. Syftet med arbetet är att få en tydligare bild över materialspillet på projektet Expansion Obbola, för att vidare möjliggöra och utöka Peab:s arbete med materialspill på ett effektivt, ekonomiskt och miljövänligt sätt. Arbetet har även som syfte att bidra till Peab:s framtida arbete med materialspill. Vid produktionen av en ny byggnad uppskattas 30-40% av den totala kostnaden bestå av materialkostnader, vilket medför att om mängden materialspill kan begränsas kan det bidra till ett mer hållbart, ekonomiskt och miljövänligt arbete. Arbetet resulterade i att situationen på projektet Expansion Obbola består av svåra förutsättningar och att detta försvårar möjligheten till minskandet av materialspill betydligt. Tidspress, brist på ytor och begränsat med riktlinjer till hur man bör hantera materialspill är de främsta svårigheterna som projektet besitter. Efter genomförande av detta arbete anses det ändå finnas gott om utvecklingsområden för projektet gällande materialspill trots svårigheterna och några av de presenterade förslagen på hur man kan arbeta med att få en minskad mängd materialspill är följande: Ändra dag och tiden för revidering av ritningar, öka samarbetet mellan arbetsledare, byta virket vid formsättning till en lägre kvalité för att bespara på miljön samt utöka samarbetet med projektörerna. Projektet Expansion Obbola anses därav trots svåra förutsättningar, besitta goda möjligheter att förbättra sitt arbete med materialspill och potentiellt kunna minska mängden material som slängs i onödan.
SCA Obbola is a papermill that is investing in the future and is expanding its production. The project is called Expansion Obbola and they plan to increase their factory's capacity from 450,000 tonnes kraftliner to 725,000 tonnes. Peab is the contractor for the project, it started in 2018 and is expected to be completed by the year 2023. In collaboration with Peab, a report has been carried out on the Expansion Obbola project to find out how they work to minimize material waste. The report will also look into the current way of dealing with material waste and if the opportunity exists to reduce the amount of material waste even more. The purpose of the report is to get a clearer picture of the material waste on the project Expansion Obbola, to further enable and expand Peab's work with material waste in an efficient, economical and environmentally friendly way. The report also aims to contribute to Peab's future work with material waste in a positive way. During the production of a new building, it is estimated that 30-40% of total cost consists of material costs, which means that if the amount of material waste can be limited, it can contribute to a more sustainable, economical and environmentally friendly way of building. This report resulted in that the situation in project Expansion Obbola is consisting of some difficulties and that it significantly complicates the possibility of reducing the material waste. Pressured time schedule, lack of space and limited guidelines on how to handle material waste are the main difficulties that the project poses but after the completion of this report, it is still considered that there are plenty of development areas for the project regarding material waste. Some of the presented proposals on how to work to reduce the amount of material waste are: Changing the day and time for revision of drawings, increase the cooperation between supervisors, change the wood for casting to a lower quality to spare the environment and expand the collaboration with the designers. The Expansion Obbola project is therefore considered, despite difficult conditions, to have good opportunities to improve its work with material waste and potentially be able to reduce the amount of material that is thrown away unnecessarily.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
Tyre waste from end-of-life tyres (ELTs), sometimes erroneously defined as a type of waste, in fact represents a renewable energy resource that is highly competitive as replacement fuel to coal in the form of tyre-derived fuel (TDF) or useable as rubber crumb in other products. In this research study, the main utilisation options considered were based on rubber crumbing through ambient and cryogenic processing. Pyrolysis, the so-called ‘holy grail’ of tyre technologies, rubberised asphalt products, TDF options and various other product options from tyre crumb as basis were considered. Although pyrolysis technology is highly commendable and environmentally friendly, it is still a process with too many variants and presents an unstable economic model that is not attractive to entrepreneurs. Rubberised asphalt depends on policy decisions from local and national authorities supporting initial higher spending and allowances on budgets to acquire future savings from the longevity in the product. The policy requirements and the instability that politically-inspired decisions carry with them are contributing to the unattractiveness of this solution to the entrepreneurial fraternity. Through government requiring a certain percentage of asphalt pavements to contain rubber (like in the United States of America (USA)), rubberised asphalt could be a very useful and viable option to produce. In the USA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently avoided the return to coal in industrial kilns currently using TDF based on its beneficial carbon dioxide (CO2) emission and cost structures by defining TDF as Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) to existing coal-burning industrial kilns. In South Africa, the usage of TDF should be of interest to Eskom and the cement industry. TDF (produced from end-of-life tyres), defined as a renewable energy resource due to its proven biomass component and with its high calorific value, presents higher energy output values in comparison to coal and furthermore presents the industry with lower input costs per ton and reduces the CO2 emission factor. Entrepreneurial intervention involving Eskom and/or the cement industry in South Africa with the utilisation of end-of-life tyres as renewable energy resource is an overdue business opportunity. With more than ten million tyres per year available in South Africa and a stockpile of more than fifty million waste tyres, sustainability of TDF supplies is a reality. TDF is much cheaper per ton than coal and emits approximately 20 percent less CO2 and/or CO2e than low-grade coal to produce the same electricity output. From all the information gathered, it is clear that in countries where coal energy is extensively used, TDF utilisation not only reduces the tyre waste issues, but it also serves as an environmentally-friendly renewable energy resource in electricity production and cement kilns; the industry with some of the highest CO2 emission risks. The final chapter of this report presents a schedule representing the choice of tyre processing and disposal methods ranked by environmental preference and defining the priorities linked to process and product choice.

This thesis presents the implementation and the optimization of a waste management system (WMS) in the Koinonia community (that is sited in the Chilanga district near Lusaka), showing the challenges that must be faced, implementing a WMS in a developing country. In the first part of the thesis it will be contextualized the waste management in the Zambian economy showing how a diversification involving the it could fit with the needs of the Nation. In the second part it will be treated the waste management hierarchy through the illustration of some European policies (like Circular Economy Package) and best practice (like WtE in Sweden). In the third part it will be analyzed the case of study Koinonia community where it has been spent three month. The object of the study was how to make the waste management system economical sustainable, the various issue regarding this subject are described by some reports wrote at the beginning of the experience and at the end. In addition, the chapter presents a study about the waste production in Chilanga and the data collected by means the interview with the waste aggregator present in the city. Concluding, it is showed a proposal of evolution of the waste management system which consist in install a phv (Photovoltaic) system that will feed an ecological island of low dimension.

El propósito de esta tesis doctoral fue evaluar la influencia de los diferentes procesos de gestión de residuos, tales como la valorización material, energética y biológica de dos poliésteres clave de la industria del embalaje: el actual no-renovable poli (tereftalato de etileno) (PET) y el potencial candidato para sustituirlo en un futuro próximo, la polilactida (PLA) de base renovable. Se utilizaron diversas plantas piloto para simular las condiciones de la degradación sufrida por PET y PLA en el reciclado mecánico, la pirólisis, la combustión y el enterramiento en suelo. Los cambios fueron monitorizados por calorimetría diferencial de barrido (DSC), análisis dinámico-mecánico-térmico (DMTA), análisis termogravimétrico (TGA), espectrometría infrarroja con transformada de Fourier (FTIR), espectroscopia de correlación 2D-IR para el análisis de gases (EGA), espectrometría de masas MALDI-TOF, microscopía electrónica de barrido (SEM), índice de fluidez de masa fundida (MFR), ensayos de tracción e impacto Charpy y viscosimetría. Se han propuesto, desarrollado y aplicado diversas estrategias y procedimientos analíticos para establecer parámetros fiables para ser utilizados como indicadores de la degradación y por tanto controlar la influencia de cada proceso de valorización en la calidad del material. El comportamiento de PET y PLA reciclados mecánicamente se evaluó en base a sus propiedades químicas, microestructurales, mecánicas y térmicas. Se observó una pérdida general de prestaciones de PET y PLA reprocesado una vez y dos veces, respectivamente. Además, las propiedades de los materiales reciclados de PLA fueron mejores en términos relativos a los productos reciclados de PET. Las descomposiciones térmica y termo-oxidativa causadas por los procesos de pirolisis y combustión se evaluaron sobre la estabilidad térmica, gases emitidos y cinéticas de descomposición. Se destaca el uso de la combustión controlada para ambos polímeros, ya que se necesita menos energía para iniciar la descomposición, y la mezcla de gases que se desprenden es más homogénea.
Badía Valiente, JD. (2011). Strategies and analytical procedures for a sustainable plastic waste management. An application to poly (ethylene terephthalate) and polylactide in the packaging sector [Tesis doctoral]. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/12890
Palancia

A Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos (PNRS) entrou em vigor no Brasil em agosto de 2010. Devido à sua recente implantação, muitas organizações ainda estão se adaptando às novas visões que esta lei propõe sobre a gestão dos resíduos no país. A cadeia de suprimentos de materiais médico-hospitalares também faz parte dessa gama de organizações em adaptação, onde novos desafios a respeito da gestão dos resíduos têm surgido. Devido ao tipo de resíduo gerado nas atividades de saúde, o assunto ganha importância e merece atenção especial por parte dos agentes dessa cadeia de suprimentos. Boa parte dos resíduos gerados em atividades de saúde é considerada resíduo perigoso, por esse motivo, os objetivos da PNRS, como a redução do volume e da periculosidade desses resíduos, podem exercer pressões sobre os agentes envolvidos na fabricação, consumo e descarte dos mesmos. Assim, este trabalho teve por objetivo identificar como ocorre a gestão da cadeia de suprimentos de materiais médico-hospitalares no estado do Rio Grande do Sul sob o enfoque da PNRS. Para isso, foram abordados agentes de três níveis dessa cadeia: 1- fornecedores de materiais médico-hospitalares, 2- hospitais e 3- empresas de tratamento de resíduos de saúde. Com a finalidade de enriquecer a visão dessa cadeia, abordaram-se também alguns órgãos governamentais relacionados às questões de resíduos. Buscou-se identificar na cadeia, a existência ou não de colaboração entre os agentes, dificuldades e oportunidades na gestão de resíduos e produtos e processos relacionados às questões de resíduos. O método utilizado foi o estudo de caso e a coleta de dados se deu por meio de entrevistas com gestores de diferentes agentes da cadeia de suprimentos de materiais médico-hospitalares no estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Foram abordadas 11 instituições pertencentes à cadeia mencionada, das quais foram entrevistados 17 profissionais. Foi possível identificar a ausência de colaboração com os fornecedores da cadeia, e a colaboração incipiente entre os demais membros. Também foi possível identificar dificuldades como o aumento da descartabilidade dos produtos, a má segregação e a falta de tratamento adequado aos produtos químicos. As oportunidades foram apresentadas como possibilidade de intervenção do governo sobre as questões na forma de estímulo ao desenvolvimento de produtos menos agressivos e aumento das pressões legais sobre os agentes. Entre os produtos e processos destacaram-se os produtos que contenham matérias-primas menos agressivas na destinação final, a logística reversa e a substituição do consumo de produtos por serviços.
The Brazilian National Policy on Solid Waste (NPSW) entered into force in August 2010. Due to its recent implementation, many organizations are still adjusting to new visions that this law proposes in terms of waste management in the country. The supply chain of medical and hospital supplies is also part of this group of organizations that are currently in adaptation, and where new challenges regarding waste management have emerged. Due to the type of waste generated in health activities, this issue becomes important and deserves special attention from the agents of this supply chain. Much of the waste generated in health activities is considered a hazardous waste, and for that reason, the objectives of NPSW, such as reducing the volume and hazard of the waste, can put pressure on those involved in the production, consumption and disposal of this kind of waste. This study therefore aimed to identify the management of the medical and hospital supply chain in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, under the approach of NPSW. To achieve the objectives, different agents were approached, representing the three levels of the chain: 1 - suppliers of medical and hospital material, 2 - hospitals and 3 - companies specialized in the treatment of health waste. In order to enrich the results, governmental bodies were also addressed on their views towards health waste issues. Overall, the aim was to identify the existence or absence of collaboration between agents, the difficulties and opportunities in waste management and finally, the products and processes related to waste issues within this supply chain. The case study method was used and data was collected through interviews with managers of different agents in the supply chain of medical and hospital supplies in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. In total, 17 professionals from 11 health-related institutions were interviewed. As main results, it was possible to identify the absence of cooperation with the suppliers of the chain, and incipient collaboration between the remaining members. It was also possible to identify difficulties, as the increasing disposability of products, poor segregation and lack of adequate treatment for chemical products. The opportunities were presented as a possibility for governmental intervention - that could act as stimulus for the development of less aggressive products and increase the legal pressure on chain agents to comply with the legislation. Among the products and processes investigated, interviewees highlighted products containing raw materials that are less aggressive in their final disposal, reverse logistics and replacement of consumer products for services.

While 3D stacked multi-processor technology offers the potential for significant computing advantages, these architectures also face the significant challenge of small, localized hotspots with very large heat fluxes due to the placement of asymmetric cores, heterogeneous devices and performance driven layouts. In this thesis, a new thermal management solution is introduced that seeks to maximize the performance of microprocessors with dynamically managed power profiles. To mitigate the non-uniformities in chip temperature profiles resulting from the dynamic power maps, solid-liquid phase change materials (PCMs) with an embedded heat spreader network are strategically positioned near localized hotspots, resulting in a large increase in the local thermal capacitance in these problematic areas. Theoretical analysis shows that the increase in local thermal capacitance results in an almost twenty-fold increase in the time that a thermally constrained core can operate before a power gating or core migration event is required. Coupled to the PCMs are solid state coolers (SSCs) that serve as a means for fast regeneration of the PCMs during the cool down periods associated with throttling events. Using this combined PCM/SSC approach allows for devices that operate with the desirable combination of low throttling frequency and large overall core duty cycles, thus maximizing computational throughput. The impact of the thermophysical properties of the PCM on the device operating characteristics has been investigated from first principles in order to better inform the PCM selection or design process. Complementary to the theoretical characterization of the proposed thermal solution, a prototype device called a "Composite Thermal Capacitor (CTC)" that monolithically integrates micro heaters, PCMs and a spreader matrix into a Si test chip was fabricated and tested to validate the efficacy of the concept. A prototype CTC was shown to increase allowable device operating times by over 7X and address heat fluxes of up to ~395 W/cm2. Various methods for regenerating the CTC have been investigated, including air, liquid, and solid state cooling, and operational duty cycles of over 60% have been demonstrated.

Background: Increasing awareness for the environmental impact, governments and higher authorities has in the past years issued regulations for waste creation and management, creating a need for new practices and policies on how used material is handled. Reversed logistics could simply be described as the process of ensuring value creation spanning over the entire life cycle. The importance to understand and clarify what differences and limitations the adaptation of reverse logistics in the construction industry present, depending on organisation size.  Purpose and research questions: The purpose with this research is to compare how SMEs and large organisations in the construction industry adapt reverse logistics practices. In order to fulfil the purpose two research questions are designed. The first question process what the major differences are between SMEs and large organisations regarding the willingness to adapt reverse logistics. The second question process what the major differences are between SMEs and large organisations regarding the ability to adapt reverse logistics. Method: This research used a qualitative approach. A literature review was conducted to construct a theoretical framework. Ten interviews are conducted with SMEs and large organisation within the construction industry as well an intermediary from a demolition organisation. The interviews are conducted in a semi-structural manner. The interviews are coded in order to define themes and construct a framework. Conclusion: The willingness to adapt reverse logistics depend on the responsibilities the companies have. The larger organisations are willing in order to fulfil larger environmental goals and regulations in the industry whereas SMEs want to ease daily operations and do good to the adjacent community. The ability to adapt reverse logistics are affected by the resources and regulations. SMEs have difficulties in adapting reverse logistics fully because of limited resources relating to handling and storing the to-be-reused material. The larger organisations have the resources but a longer implementation route and with larger projects need the clients demand to adapt reverse logistics on project scale.

Soils in the urban environment are distinctive in that they are modified through waste amendments. Consideration has been given to how urban soil properties reflect current human influence; however, recent studies highlight their potential as historical archives. The impact of waste disposal on the nature, properties and formation of urban soils is significant, especially in historic small towns where the extent and complexity of refuse management practices is only just emerging. This study uses a multi-method approach to characterise and understand modes of urban anthrosol formation in three Scottish burghs; Lauder, Pittenweem and Wigtown. The objectives of this study are threefold; to establish the nature and diversity of urban anthrosols in and near to historic small towns, to characterise and account for the multiplicity of urban anthrosols in and near to historic small towns, and to elucidate the processes associated with waste management and disposal in historic small towns. Physical, chemical and micromorphological analysis of topsoil deposits indicate sustained addition of past waste materials to soils within and near to historic small towns. Soil characteristics were heterogeneous across burghs; however, distinct patterns according to past functional zones were identified. The burgh core and burgh acres are important areas of interest at all three burghs. Soil modification was most pronounced within burgh cores resulting in the formation of hortic horizons. Soils within burgh cores are characterised by neutral pH, increased organic matter content, enhanced magnetic susceptibility and elevated elemental concentrations such as calcium, phosphorus and potassium. In comparison the nature and extent of soil modification within burgh acres is more varied. At Lauder hortic soils were identified in the burgh acres suggesting pronounced soil modification through cultivation. Deepened topsoil in the burgh acres at Pittenweem provided evidence for application of mineral rich waste materials in the past. Moreover, magnetic and elemental enhancement (barium, phosphorus, lead, zinc) within the burgh acres south of Wigtown revealed historic soils based anthropogenic signal. It is argued that changes in soil characteristics at Lauder, Pittenweem and Wigtown can be explained through processes of waste management and disposal in the past. Evidence from micromorphological analyses suggests that waste in burgh cores typically comprised domestic waste, animal waste, building materials and fuel residues. These materials were also identified within burgh acres, although it is noted that their abundances were significantly lower. Variation in urban anthrosol characteristics between burghs is attributed to differing industries and patterns of resource exploitation, for example marine waste associated with fishing was only identified in coastal burghs. The sustained addition of waste materials to soils within and near to historic small towns was an effective waste management strategy. Waste disposal in burgh cores was likely to be a combination of direct application and midden spreading in back gardens. This led to enhanced soil fertility which was important in the development of urban horticulture; particularly for poorer inhabitants who did not have access to arable farm land adjacent to the burgh. Dunghills acted as temporary stores of waste in the main thoroughfares of Lauder, Pittenweem and Wigtown. These dunghills were systematically transported to the burgh acres for further use as a fertiliser; hence, an early form of urban composting. Processes of waste disposal could not be deduced from soil characteristics alone; however, likely methods include direct waste deposition, storage and redistribution of midden waste, and storage and redistribution of dunghills. The limitations of soil classification systems and mapping are highlighted, for example urban soils are either omitted from soil maps or are misclassified. It is recommended that urban soils in historic towns should be incorporated into future regional soil maps. Urban soils represent a complex archive of past human behaviour not necessarily reflected in archaeological excavation or documentary analysis. It is argued that soil and artefacts are equally important, hence soil should be a consideration in urban heritage and conservation strategies.

The hereby presented master’s thesis deals with municipal solid waste separation. The introductory chapters describe current state of handling of selected recyclables and the technologies of their collection. The following chapter is a description of a waste sorting line technology, since this facility’s function is to upgrade the recyclables to secondary materials. The first step of practical part of this thesis was creation of a technical-economic model of the sorting line designed to process plastic and paper waste, therefore the following chapter is dedicated to its description and presentation. Subsequently, the outputs of the model are evaluated for three settings of its input variables, which represent the three imagined scenarios of the modeled sorting line’s operation. Sensitivity analyses focused on selected input variables of this model were also performed. A separate chapter is dedicated to changes in the model outputs in the case of including the waste transportation prices to the selected scenario. At the end of the thesis, the influence of increased material separation of plastic waste on the lower heating value of residual mixed municipal solid waste is evaluated.

This master thesis deals in first part with options and trends on field of municipal sewage sludge management. Further thesis describes legislation in relation with sewage sludge and its incineration in European union and also in Czech republic. Second part of thesis deals with design of mechanism for material and energetic use of sludge. In design is progressively processed chioce of aparates and material and energetic balance. This data are further used for mechine technical solution of the unit. Disposition of the unit is done acording to chosen and calculated parameter of chosen aparates. Economical evaluate of project if based on investment and operation costs and capacity design of unit in the end of thesis.

O Resíduo de Construção e Demolição (RCD), devido ao seu volume, gera um alto impacto ambiental, social e econômico, trazendo assim a preocupação crescente sobre sua gestão. Essa gestão sempre foi responsabilidade do poder público. Porém, com a Resolução 307 do Conselho Nacional do Meio Ambiente (CONAMA), de 05 de julho de 2002, ela foi transferida para os geradores de resíduos, que devem segregar o resíduo em quatro classes diferentes e encaminhá-las para reciclagem ou deposição final. Assim, este trabalho propõe uma metodologia, baseada no enfoque sistêmico e em técnicas de pesquisa operacional, para tratar o problema de gestão de resíduos da Construção Civil, em conformidade com a Resolução CONAMA 307. A metodologia proposta compreende a elaboração de um Plano de Gestão de Resíduos que contemple a fase de projeto, minimizando a geração de resíduos; a segregação e o transporte do resíduo gerado dentro da obra; e a sua destinação final, incluíndo o controle da segregação e deposição do resíduo gerado. No trabalho são comparadas duas obras, uma onde não houve nenhuma forma de gestão sobre o resíduo e outra onde o Plano de Gestão proposto foi aplicado. Além disso, foi feito um modelo de simulação utilizando o programa de computador Arena 7.0, utilizado para avaliação do impacto do Plano em diversos cenários de geração, segrega ção e transporte dos resíduos. Como resultado do trabalho apresenta-se um Plano de Gestão de Resíduos que possui viabilidade econômica, social e ambiental, além de ser legalmente adequado, para ser usado por profissionais do setor público e privado no tratamento e gestão do resíduo gerado em suas obras.
The Construction and Demolition Waste (C&DW), because of its high volume, brings high environmental social and economical impacts, therefore the worries about its management has grown. This management has always been responsibility of the governments. But with the Resolution 307 of CONAMA (Brazilian Environmental National Council) of July 22nd, 2002, it was transferred to the waste producer, which has to segregate it in four different categories and ship it to be recycled or disposed properly. The proposal is to create a method, based on system approach and operations research, to deal with C&DW management, respecting Resolution 307 guidelines. The proposed method encompasses the creation of a Waste Management Plan, whichconsiders the aspects of the project, to minimize waste generation; the segregation and transport within the construction site; and the final destination of the waste, including a method to control its segregation and shipping. Two construction sites were considered, one that did not have any kind of waste management and one on which the Management Plan was implemented. In addition, it was developed a simulation model using the computer software Arena 7.0, to analyze the Plan under different scenarios of generation, segregation and shipping of construction waste. As a result, a Plan of C&DW Management was proposed and validated, which is economic, social and environmental feasible and legally adequate, to be used by public and private professionals when dealing with the C&DW of their constructions.

La théorie de l'échantillonnage des matières morcelées développée par P. Gy a permis de répondre, en partie, aux problèmes d'échantillonnage liés aux fortes hétérogénéités de composition (matériaux complexes et mal connus) et de distribution (variabilités dans l'espace et dans le temps), de minerais ou de déchets. Toutefois, les applications les plus communes de cette théorie concernent la mesure de grandeurs massiques, essentiellement des teneurs en composants minéralogiques ou chimiques. Les travaux réalisés ont permis de montrer que la caractérisation de certains milieux hétérogènes - comme les déchets en vue de l'évaluation de leur potentiel polluant - se fait aussi à partir de mesures de grandeurs de comportement liées à la répartition de volumes élémentaires, de surfaces d'échanges ou à des réactions mutuelles. Ces mesures étant généralement réalisées sur échantillons, il devient alors nécessaire d'adapter la théorie générale de l'échantillonnage pour valider les résultats obtenus grâce à ces mesures. Les apports les plus originaux de cette recherche résident ainsi dans: - l'adaptation de la théorie de l'échantillonnage des matières morcelées à différents cas de déchets ou milieux hétérogènes (ordures ménagères, déchets industriels, sols pollués), - l'adaptation de la théorie de l'échantillonnage à la maitrise de la mesure de grandeurs ne relevant pas directement de la seule masse des particules (teneurs minéralogiques ou chimiques), mais d'autres paramètres (surfaces d'échanges, volumes) ou de leur association, - la traduction de ces résultats sous la forme d'un outil informatique dédié, aisément praticable par le technicien ou l'ingénieur en charge de problèmes d'échantillonnage de solides ou milieux hétérogènes (déchets ménagers, déchets industriels, sols pollués, minéraux et minerais). L’ensemble de la démarche présentée ici, devrait donc contribuer à éclairer les stratégies d'échantillonnage, resituer les ambitions analytiques ultérieures dans leurs limites de pertinence et établir ou évaluer certains protocoles décisionnels

Composites have been increasingly used in different applications in the last decade, especially in aerospace due to their high strength and lightweight characteristics. Indeed, the latest models of Airbus (A350) and Boeing (B787) have employed more than 50 wt% of composites, mainly Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymers (CFRP). Yet, the increased use of CFRP has raised the environmental concerns about their end-of-life related to waste disposal, consumption of non-renewable resources for manufacturing and the need to recycle CFRP wastes. In this study, a generic model is developed in order to propose an optimal management of aerospace CFRP wastes taking into account economic and environmental objectives. Firstly, a life-cycle systemic approach is used to model the environmental impacts of CFRP recycling processes focusing on Global Warming Potential (GWP) following the guidelines of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The whole supply chain for recycling CFRP pathways is then modelled from aircraft dismantling sites to the reuse of recycled fibres in various applications. A multi-objective optimisation strategy based on mathematical programming, -constraint and lexicographic methods with appropriate decisionmaking techniques (M-TOPSIS, PROMETHEE-GAIA) has been developed to determine CFRP waste supply chain configurations. Various scenarios have been studied in order to take account the potential of existing recycling sites in a mono-period visions as well as the deployment of new sites in a multi-period approach considering the case study of France for illustration purpose. The solutions obtained from optimisation process allow developing optimal strategies for the implementation of CFRP recovery with recycled fibres (of acceptable quality) for the targeted substitution use while minimising cost /maximising profit for an economic criterion and minimising an environmental impact based on GWP.

Fashion and textile upcycling is currently considered a time-consuming and labour- intensive process. Since textile waste materials are not readily available as a secondary raw material, the process of sourcing pre- and post-consumer textile waste usually requires a lot of time and effort, and often results in a high inconsistency in input materials. In consequence, upcycling operations are generally difficult to scale up. In order to address this issue, this research study aims to explore the current sourcing process of secondary raw material as well as the opportunities and challenges this sourcing process implies for a B2B trading platform of secondary raw material. In order to serve the purpose of this research study, semi-structured interviews with experienced professionals from five small and medium-sized fashion and textile upcycling companies have been conducted. The empirical data collected through the semi-structured interviews was analysed using an inductive approach of qualitative content analysis. The overall findings suggest that concerning the sourcing process of post-consumer textiles for upcycling, the identified opportunities for a B2B trading platform outweigh the challenges. However, pre-consumer textile waste is often provided in the form of an already upcycled yarn from fabric or garment suppliers which gives the impression that a B2B trading platform is less relevant in this case. Nevertheless, the empirical results might have been impacted by the small sample size and the strong focus on post-consumer textiles. Therefore, more research is necessary in order to understand how SMEs working with pre-consumer textile waste source their input materials for upcycling and which opportunities and challenges this potentially different process implies for a B2B trading platform of secondary raw material.

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Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos
The performance of the capitalist system, associated with urban areas, has contributed to the growth of solid waste scattered in urban centers of towns and cities, consisting mainly of materials that can be recycled. The generation of waste has assumed proportions that make this issue a major concern of any government, triggering several actions pertaining to the theme. One of the actions taken by the Rio Claro / SP was the creation of a Cooperative Collectors of Recyclable Material - COOPERVIVA, aiming to reduce the environmental impact generated by this waste and ensure an increase in the useful life of the county landfill, strengthening collective work through the Solidarity Economy and actions for Environmental Education. The actions developed by the cooperative have allowed the insertion of new collectors and increasing demand for recyclable waste collected by the cooperative. The need for collective management, aiming at personal development, the process of collective work of the group, the conditions for educated individuals and their relationship with the local government set up the goal of this work, which aims to propose management strategies more effective in daily life of each member, providing them with a work environment in a more differentiated and solidarity in order to provide an economic benefit and social practices with recognition and importance of the work that each member has developed in the city.
A atuação do sistema capitalista, associada aos aglomerados urbanos, tem contribuído para o crescimento dos resíduos sólidos espalhados nos centros urbanos de pequenas e grandes cidades, constituídos principalmente por materiais que possam ser reciclados. A geração de resíduos vem assumindo proporções que fazem desse assunto uma das principais preocupações de qualquer governo, desencadeando várias ações concernentes à temática. Uma das ações desenvolvidas pelo município de Rio Claro/SP foi a criação de uma Cooperativa de Catadores de Material Reaproveitável COOPERVIVA, com intuito de reduzir o impacto ambiental gerado por esses resíduos e assegurar um aumento na vida útil ao Aterro Sanitário do município, fortalecendo o trabalho coletivo através da Economia Solidária e ações voltadas à Educação Ambiental. As ações desenvolvidas pela cooperativa têm possibilitado a inserção de novos catadores e o aumento na demanda de resíduos recicláveis coletados pela cooperativa. A necessidade da gestão do coletivo, objetivando a valorização pessoal, o processo de trabalho coletivo do grupo, as condições de formação educacional dos indivíduos e sua relação com o poder público local configuram o objetivo desse trabalho, que resultou em estratégias de gestão mais eficazes no cotidiano de cada cooperado, proporcionando-lhes um ambiente de trabalho diferenciado e de maneira mais solidária, a fim de oferecer um benefício econômico e social com práticas de reconhecimento e da importância do trabalho que cada cooperado tem desenvolvido no município através de parcerias estabelecidas entre o poder público local e federal, instituições privadas e não governamentais, embasada na Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos (Lei 12.305/2010).

Idag slängs stora mängder fullt fungerande material inom nyproduktionen i byggbranschen. Detta är ett dolt problem då materialet inte dokumenteras som överblivet material utan i vikt tillsammans med det övriga avfallet. Anledningen till att materialen slängs är den höga tidspressen inom produktionen och att det inte finns en standardiserad process för att ta tillvara på fullt fungerande överblivet material när det inträffar. Kassering av material anses vara lättare, vilket kräver mindre tid och resurser än att med eget initiativ och engagemang ta tillvara på det. Att återanvända material är en enorm miljövinst. Materialtillverkningen står för den största miljöpåverkan inom byggbranschen. Genom att hoppa över materialtillverkningsprocessen, tillsammans med all hantering och transport som denna process innefattar, kan miljöpåverkan minskas. Direkt återanvändning av material och produkter betyder att nytillverkningsprocessen kan undvikas samt hantering och transporter reduceras. För att göra direkt återanvändning av överblivet material möjlig behöver en rutin införas hos företagen och de olika projekten. Denna rutin behöver vara praktisk genomförbar och inom rimliga ekonomiska ramar. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka om det är möjligt att uppföra ett logistikcenter där handel av fullt fungerande överblivet material kan ske. Miljömässiga och ekonomiska aspekter har granskats och vägts mot varandra. Att det överblivna materialet ska samlas på ett lager för att sedan kunna distribueras ut till försäljning och återanvändning. En granskning av de kostnader och intäkter som detta innefattar har utförts i form av en kalkyl. Intresse och efterfrågan har även undersökts. För att motivera till engagemang inom återanvändning av material har kopplingar dragits mellan hållbar utveckling, cirkulär ekonomi och miljömål. Studien har utförts på Skanska och avgränsats till nyproduktion av bostäder i Stockholmsområdet. Intervjuer och platsbesök står till grund för den insamlade informationen. Berörda personer i produktionsledningen från olika projekt har fått svara på frågor om egna erfarenheter angående överblivet material, avfallshantering, beställningar och planering av material men även om egna tankar och åsikter angående potentiella lösningar på problemet. Platsbesök har utförts på olika Skanska-projekt, en avfallsanläggning och på en uthyrningsenhet som Skanska själva driver. Svaren från dessa intervjuer och informationen från platsbesöken har sammanställts och analyserats. Slutsatsen blev att insamling av överblivet material från byggarbetsplatser visade sig, att åtminstone i teorin, vara genomförbart med avseende på ekonomiska och miljömässiga aspekter. Logistikcentret anses ha möjlighet att vara självförsörjande men även att gå med ekonomisk vinst. Genom att utveckla ett system för återanvändning av material tar byggbranschen ett stort kliv framåt inom hållbar utveckling.
Today, large amounts of fully functional materials are being thrown away within the construction industry of new buildings. This is a hidden problem, as the materials are not documented as leftover materials but in weight together with the other waste. The reason for disposal of materials is the pressure of time in the production; also, that there is no standard process to utilize the fully functional leftover materials when it occurs. Disposal of materials is considered to be easier, which requires less time and resources than by own initiative and commitment to take care of the materials. Recycling by reuse of materials is a huge gain for the environment. Production of materials accounts for the biggest environmental impact in the construction industry. By skipping the material manufacturing process, along with the managing and transportation that it entails, reduction of the environmental impact can be achieved. Recycling by reuse of materials and products implies that the manufacturing process can be avoided and the managing and transportation of materials would be reduced. In order to make reusing of leftover materials possible, a routine needs to be introduced at the companies and the different projects. This routine needs to be practically feasible and within reasonable financial limits.The purpose of this study is to investigate whether it is possible to establish a logistics centre where trading of fully functional material can be done. Environmental and economic aspects have been reviewed and compared with each other. Leftover materials and products will be gathered in a warehouse and then distributed for sale and reuse. A review of the costs and revenues that the logistics centre includes has been carried out in the form of a calculation. Interest and demand have been investigated as well. To motivate commitment to the reuse of materials, connections have been made between sustainable development, circular economics and environmental goals. The study has been carried out in cooperation with Skanska and is delimited to production of new residential buildings in the Stockholm area. The collected information is based on interviews and site visits. People that are involved in the production management of different projects have answered questions about their own experience regarding leftover materials, waste management, order and planning of materials, but also their own thoughts and opinions regarding potential solutions to the problem. Site visits have been carried out on a waste facility, various Skanska projects and a rental unit that Skanska itself operates. The answers from these interviews and the information from the site visits have been compiled and analysed.

Tesis por compendio
[ES] El acceso a fuentes de energía moderna en las áreas rurales de la región andina es uno de los factores principales para disminuir la pobreza ya que su acceso proporcionaría beneficios ambientales, económicos y sociales. Pese a los esfuerzos de buscar fuentes alternativas para subsanar el déficit energético, aún existen millones de personas que sufren la falta de accesibilidad a fuentes de energía moderna, situación que se debe a los altos niveles de pobreza bajo los cuales se encuentran inmersos. Junto a este inconveniente se suma el enorme incremento de residuos agrícolas en las comunidades andinas. Residuos que provienen de las actividades agrícolas, y que podrían ser perjudiciales para el medio ambiente si no se toman medidas adecuadas. Lamentablemente, en muchos países en desarrollo donde se generan grandes cantidades de estos residuos, se sabe poco sobre sus posibles riesgos y beneficios si no se gestionan adecuadamente. Uno de los enfoques más interesantes para abordar esta problemática, es el desarrollo de la gestión sostenible de los residuos orgánicos agrícolas de la región, transformándolos en recursos para la generación de energía renovable (biogás) y fertilizantes orgánicos (digestato). Esta solución permitiría dar una valorización energética a los residuos de la agricultura de la zona, sobre la cual basan su economía, y a la vez contribuiría a una mayor gestión de los residuos evitando el incremento de la contaminación ambiental. Con la finalidad de contribuir al desarrollo energético y mejorar el paradigma de la gestión de residuos en el área andina de Guaranda (Ecuador), la presente Tesis Doctoral aborda la evaluación del potencial bioquímico de metano (BMP) de los residuos orgánicos agrícolas de la región. Se realiza una cuantificación sistemática de la producción de biogás mediante la transformación bioquímica de residuos orgánicos agrícolas, que comprenden: sustratos principales (residuos de estiércol de vicuña, llama y cuy, y residuos de matadero de ganado vacuno) y cosustratos (residuos de paja de amaranto, quinua y trigo). El objetivo general de esta investigación de doctorado se ha llevado a cabo en cuatro fases: (I) Caracterización de la materia prima mediante el análisis elemental y proximal a través de los cuáles se estimó el rendimiento teórico y la biodegradabilidad de los sustratos y cosustratos, (II) Rendimiento de la codigestión de residuos orgánicos agrícolas con mezclas de lodos de aguas residuales en biodigestores batch, (III) Análisis de los efectos sinérgicos y antagónicos durante la monodigestión y codigestión de las materias primas y (IV) Evaluación de la cinética microbiana de la digestión anaerobia mediante los modelos de Gompertz modificado, transferencia, ecuación logística, modelo del cono y Richards modificado. En la caracterización fisicoquímica se determinó que las relaciones SV/ST de los sustratos y cosustratos oscilaron entre 58 y 77% con una relación C/N entre 12 y 102, lo que indicó que estos residuos son materias primas adecuadas para la producción de metano. En todos los ensayos un aumento de la cantidad de inóculo mejoró la biodegradabilidad de los sustratos y por consiguiente la producción metano; así, en la monodigestión se tuvo incrementos de hasta 90% y en la codigestión incrementos del 71%. Todas las mezclas produjeron efectos sinérgicos, donde los mayores porcentajes de metano se dieron cuando las mezclas de residuos de amaranto, quinua y trigo fueron del 50 y 75% de sólidos volátiles. Independientemente de la SIR1:1 y la SIR 1:2 se mejoró la producción de metano de la codigestión al incrementar el porcentaje de cosustrato especialmente de residuos de amaranto y quinua. Los mejores resultados de todos los ensayos realizados se obtuvieron en los biodigestores compuestos por residuos de matadero y residuos de quinua, donde se obtuvieron producciones de metano entre 581 y 555 ml
[CA] L'accés a fonts d'energia moderna en les àrees rurals de la regió andina és un dels factors principals per a disminuir la pobresa ja que el seu accés proporcionaria beneficis ambientals, econòmics i socials. Malgrat els esforços de buscar fonts alternatives per a esmenar el dèficit energètic, encara existeixen milions de persones que pateixen la falta d'accessibilitat a fonts d'energia moderna, situació que es deu als alts nivells de pobresa sota els quals es troben immersos. Al costat d'aquest inconvenient se suma l'enorme increment de residus agrícoles en les comunitats andines. Residus que provenen de les activitats agrícoles, i que podrien ser perjudicials per al medi ambient si no es prenen mesures adequades. Lamentablement, en molts països en desenvolupament on es generen grans quantitats d'aquests residus, se sap poc sobre els seus possibles riscos i beneficis si no es gestionen adequadament. Un dels enfocaments més interessants per a abordar aquesta problemàtica, és el desenvolupament de la gestió sostenible dels residus orgànics agrícoles de la regió, transformant-los en recursos per a la generació d'energia renovable (biogàs) i fertilitzants orgànics (digestato). Aquesta solució permetria donar una valorització energètica als residus de l'agricultura de la zona, sobre la qual basen la seua economia, i alhora contribuiria a una major gestió dels residus evitant l'increment de la contaminació ambiental. Amb la finalitat de contribuir al desenvolupament energètic i millorar el paradigma de la gestió de residus en l'àrea andina de Guaranda (l'Equador), la present Tesi Doctoral aborda l'avaluació del potencial bioquímic de metà (BMP) dels residus orgànics agrícoles de la regió. Es realitza una quantificació sistemàtica de la producció de biogàs mitjançant la transformació bioquímica de residus orgànics agrícoles que comprenen: substrats principals (residus de fem de vicunya, flama i cuy, i residus d'escorxador de bestiar boví), *cosustratos (residus de palla d'amarant, quinua i blat). L'objectiu general d'aquesta investigació de doctorat s'ha dut a terme en quatre fases: (I) caracterització de la matèria primera mitjançant l'anàlisi elemental i proximal a través dels quals es va estimar el rendiment teòric i la biodegradabilitat dels substrats i cosustratos, (II) Rendiment de la codigestión de residus orgànics agrícoles amb mescles de llots d'aigües residuals en biodigestores batch, (III) Anàlisis dels efectes sinèrgics i antagònics durant la monodigestión i codigestión de les matèries primeres i (IV) Avaluació de la cinètica microbiana de la digestió anaeròbia mitjançant els models de Gompertz modificat, transferència, equació logística, model del con i Richards modificat. En la caracterització fisicoquímica es va determinar que les relacions SV/ST dels substrats i cosustratos van oscil·lar entre 58 i 77% amb una relació C/N entre 12 i 102, la qual cosa va indicar que aquests residus són matèries primeres adequades per a la producció de metà. En tots els assajos un augment de la quantitat d'inòcul va millorar la biodegradabilitat dels substrats i per consegüent la producció metà; així, en la monodigestión es va tindre increments de fins a 90% i en la codigestión increments del 71%. Totes les mescles van produir efectes sinèrgics, on els majors percentatges de metà es van donar quan les mescles de residus d'amarant, quinua i blat van ser del 50 i 75% de sòlids volàtils. Independentment de la SIR1:1 i la SIR 1:2 es va millorar la producció de metà de la codigestión en incrementar el percentatge de cosustrato especialment de residus d'amarant i quinua. Els millors resultats de tots els assajos realitzats es van obtindre en els biodigestores compostos per residus d'escorxador i residus de quinua, on es van obtindre produccions de metà entre 581 i 555 ml/g VS.
[EN] Access to modern energy sources in rural areas of the Andean region is one of the main factors to reduce poverty, since its access would provide environmental, economic and social benefits. Despite efforts to find alternative sources to correct the energy deficit, there are still millions of people who suffer from the lack of accessibility to modern energy sources, a situation that is due to the high levels of poverty under which they are immersed. Along with this inconvenience is added the enormous increase in agricultural residues in the Andean communities. Waste that comes from agricultural activities, and that could be harmful to the environment if adequate measures are not taken. Unfortunately, in many developing countries where large amounts of these wastes are generated, little is known about their potential risks and benefits if not managed properly. One of the most interesting approaches to address this problem is the development of sustainable management of agricultural organic waste in the region, transforming it into resources for the generation of renewable energy (biogas) and organic fertilizers (digestate). This solution would allow to give an energetic recovery to the agricultural residues of the area, on which they base their economy, and at the same time would contribute to a better management of the residues avoiding the increase of environmental pollution. To contribute to energy development and improve the paradigm of waste management in the Andean area of Guaranda (Ecuador), this Doctoral Thesis addresses the evaluation of the biochemical potential of methane (BPM) of agricultural organic waste in the region. A systematic quantification of biogas production is carried out through the biochemical transformation of agricultural organic waste that includes main substrates (vicuña, llama and guinea pig manure residues, and cattle slaughterhouse residues) and co-substrates (amaranth straw residues), quinoa and wheat). The general objective of this doctoral research has been carried out in four phases: (I) characterization of the raw material through elemental and proximal analysis through which the theoretical performance and biodegradability of substrates and co-substrates were estimated, (II) Performance of the co-digestion of agricultural organic waste with mixtures of sewage sludge in batch biodigesters, (III) Analysis of synergistic and antagonistic effects during monodigestion and co-digestion of raw materials and (IV) Evaluation of microbial kinetics of anaerobic digestion using modified Gompertz models, transfer, logistic equation, cone model and modified Richards. In the physicochemical characterization it was determined that the VS/TS ratios of the substrates and co-substrates ranged between 58 and 77% with a C/N ratio between 12 and 102, which indicated that these wastes are suitable raw materials to produce methane. In all the tests an increase in the amount of inoculum improved the biodegradability of the substrates and consequently the methane production; thus, in monodigestion there were increases of up to 90% and in co-digestion increases of 71%. All the mixtures produced synergistic effects, where the highest percentages of methane occurred when the mixtures of amaranth, quinoa and wheat residues were 50 and 75% volatile solids. Regardless of SIR1:1 and SIR 1:2, the production of methane from co-digestion was improved by increasing the percentage of co-substrate, especially amaranth and quinoa residues. The best results of all the tests carried out were obtained in the biodigesters composed of slaughterhouse waste and quinoa waste, where methane productions between 581 and 555 ml/g VS were obtained. Regarding the kinetic modelling of the anaerobic digestion process, it was found that all the models fit the experimental values quite well with the predicted ones. In the monodigestion, in all the logistic models, the calculated asymptotes were adjusted very precisely for the specific yield (Me
This work has been carried out within the framework of the project “Analysis of the implementation of biomass exploitation chains in rural communities in the province of Bolívar (Ecuador)” of the ADSIEO-COOPERATION program of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV). The Ecuadorian Energy Exploitation Research Network of Biomass (ECUMASA) and the IBEROMASA Network (719RT0586) of the IberoAmerican Program of Science and Technology for Development (CYTED) have participated in this program
Meneses Quelal, WO. (2021). Optimization of Anaerobic Codigestion Processes of Lignocellulosic Materials of Difficult Degradation with Residues from Andean Livestock [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/171722
TESIS
Compendio

No Brasil, a gestão e destinação de resíduos sólidos são problemáticas e podem ter grandes melhoras com o cumprimento das diretrizes da Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos (PNRS). Esta Política aponta para os princípios da Gestão Integrada de Resíduos (GIR), que indica diversificação no tratamento e disposição final como última alternativa. Uma ferramenta importante na GIR é a reciclagem, que no Brasil se estruturou com base no trabalho do catador, fragilizado na Cadeia Produtiva de reciclagem, não possuindo profissionalização equiparada com os outros membros. Verificada a situação de responsabilidade delegada aos catadores no futuro da Gestão de Resíduos sólidos e sua condição atual, no contexto de uma associação de catadores, constatou-se que os agentes se consideram em posição desigual dentro da Cadeia, e apresentam a necessidade de melhorar a comercialização e percebe-se esta Cadeia de Reciclagem comprometida neste ponto. Isto se verificou porque a estrutura da associação era limitada em vários aspectos. A PNRS atribui grande importância aos catadores, que aqui não dariam conta de coletar os resíduos, isto pela necessária melhora da gestão. Há também o fato de que alguns materiais não são de interesse do catador, considerados inviáveis. A reciclagem de certos materiais não ocorrerá naturalmente, sendo necessário algum tipo de intervenção.
In Brazil, management and solid waste disposal are problematic and can have major improvements to compliance with the guidelines of the Brazilian National Policy (PNRS), that points to the principles of the Integrated Waste Management (GIR), which indicates waste treatment and disposal diversification and final disposal as the last alternative. An important tool in the GIR is recycling, which in Brazil is structured based on the work of the waste picker, weakened actor within the Recycling Production Chain, which has no professional capability as the other members. Verifying the situation regarding the responsible delegated to the waste pickers in the future of the solid waste management, and its current condition, in a waste pickers association, It was found that the collectors consider themselves in an unequal position within the chain, and have need of commercial relations improvement. Upon the lack of equivalent professionalism of the waste picker with the other levels, it is clear that the recycling chain is committed at this point. This occurred because the structure of the association was limited in several respects. The PNRS assigns great importance to the collector, that here were not going to collect all the waste, because there is necessary improved in management. There is also the fact that there are some materials that they do not work for its non-viability. It was found that the recycling of certain materials will not occur naturally, requiring some type of intervention.

Resíduos sólidos inorgânicos, dregs e grits, gerados no processo de produção de celulose foram caracterizados tecnologicamente e avaliados quanto à viabilidade de serem incorporados na composição de materiais cerâmicos tradicionais. Formulações contendo proporções variadas desses resíduos em uma matriz de argila de emprego na produção de cerâmica vermelha em região próxima de uma fabrica de celulose, no norte do país, foram homogeneizadas, sendo em seguida introduzidas em moldes para produção de corpos de prova regulares. Os corpos de prova gerados foram prensados uniaxialmente e submetidos a queima em diferentes temperaturas. As amostras, tanto secas a 110º C, como queimadas a 900 e 1000ºC, foram caracterizadas físicamente antes e após a queima ou seja, suas propriedades de interesse cerâmico foram medidas. Os resultados obtidos permitem concluir serem viáveis os usos dos resíduos em teores de cerca de 10% em massa, na produção de telhas ou tijolos, resultando em componentes com níveis de resistência mecânica apropriados para a finalidade de aplicação destes produtos. Tais resultados somam-se como uma alternativa na melhoria contínua do gerenciamento ambiental desses resíduos pelas indústrias geradoras. Sendo crescentes os níveis de produção de celulose no país e permanentes as preocupações com o meio ambiente, a redução na disposição de tais resíduos em aterros, por incorporação parcial dos mesmos em produtos de interesse regional, contribui para a redução dos impactos sobre o meio ambiente, assim como para a redução no volume de exploração de jazidas minerais.
Inorganic solid wastes, dregs and grits, generated in the cellulosic pulp production, were characterized and their incorporation into the composition of structural ceramics was evaluated. Formulations containing different proportions of such wastes in a clay matrix used for the production of bricks in a region near the pulp mill, in the north of Brazil, were homogenized, and then uniaxially pressed for the production of samples. The specimens were tested after drying at 110°C and after firing at the temperatures of 900 and 1000°C. Their ceramic properties were measured. The results indicated that it is technically viable the use of up to 10 wt.% of the wastes, still reaching adequate level of properties for the use of these products in the civil construction sector. These results show an important alternative for the destination of such wastes, representing an alternative in the continuous improvement of the environmental management of the cellulose production industries. With the increasing levels of cellulose production in the country, and the ongoing concerns about the environment, reduction in the waste disposal in landfills by incorporating them into new products helps to reduce the impacts on the environment and to reduce the volume of exploitation of mineral deposits.

Plant layout is the heart of any production line because if the layout is not properly laid, there can be numerous consequences. Planning a layout for an SME is the most crucial and tedious job for a manufacturer because it is time-consuming and sometimes a costly process. Therefore, there is a need to choose appropriate methods to overcome certain problems and plan a good layout for the SMEs.The purpose of this thesis report is to explore methods that can help to plan the layout according to the requirements provided by the SME. This involves a detailed study conducted to understand the processes at the case company. However, change of layout is not just making changes to the existing layout, but some SMEs must plan a completely new layout where they can start from scratch. Similarly, in this case, a Swedish manufacturing company REHOBOT Rotex AB has provided all the data required for planning the layout. This leads the authors to study the entire production flow to know the current layout and identify the problems that exist in the plant. The approach of this thesis was a case study where the company has provided all the details like documents, current layout plans, and video recording of the plant.The study shows that maximum time is spent in the replenishment of storage and unnecessary movement of materials between the machines in the current facility. These activities can be classified as Nonvalue added or just can be addressed as waste. Therefore, there is a need to implement lean tools and use the SLP method to plan the new layout systematically. This method led to form alternative layout plans that consisted of changes made depending on the current layout. These changes will fetch the advantages and disadvantages that can further help in evaluating the alternatives using WFA. Once evaluated, the layout that turned out to be the best will be suggested and presented to the case company.

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Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
This study aimed to verify if the recycling cooperatives implant the collectors of recyclable material, socioeconomically or not. The research was based on bibliographical and documentary review on the subject and also the comparative analysis of multi-case study in three recycling cooperatives located in São Paulo. We used to collect data from semi-structured interviews with cooperative members of these organizations and direct non-participant observation. The chosen approach was the analysis of qualitative data with the support of Atlas.ti software. The results will offer suggestions with proposals to managers, companies and policy makers so that the socio-economic inclusion is more effective. The main results of the study showed that the inclusion of collectors of recyclable material is processed with greater emphasis by the economic dimension in which the generation of employment and income become important factors to promote citizenship of these workers. It was observed in the cooperatives eager, but little effectiveness in implementing programs aimed at the social dimension as inclusion factor, in which the categories 'education' and 'health' could have priority in their management. It's worth mentioning that the analyzed recycling cooperatives comply with their proposals to provide access to work and therefore income. However, gaps in the social dimension could be minimized by the most action of public authorities and companies, in partnership with these collective social enterprises, in drafting of strategic plans that seek to actions aimed at increasing access to health and education programs and professional training of collectors
Este trabalho teve como objetivo verificar se as cooperativas de reciclagem inserem socioeconomicamente ou não os catadores de material reciclável. A pesquisa baseou-se na revisão bibliográfica e documental sobre o tema e também na análise comparativa de estudo multicasos em três cooperativas de reciclagem localizadas na capital paulista. Utilizou-se a coleta de dados a partir de entrevistas semiestruturadas com os cooperados dessas organizações e da observação direta não participante. O enfoque escolhido foi a análise de dados qualitativos com o apoio do software Atlas.ti. Os resultados permitirão oferecer sugestões com propostas aos gestores, empresas e formuladores de políticas públicas a fim de que a inclusão socioeconômica seja mais efetiva. Os principais resultados da pesquisa apontaram que a inclusão dos catadores e catadoras de material reciclável se processa com maior ênfase pela dimensão econômica, na qual a geração de trabalho e renda tornam-se fatores preponderantes para promover a cidadania desses trabalhadores. Observou-se por parte das cooperativas muita vontade, mas pouca efetividade na implementação de programas que visem à dimensão social como fator de inclusão, na qual as categorias educação e saúde poderiam ter prioridade em suas gestões. Vale destacar que as cooperativas de reciclagem analisadas cumprem com suas propostas de prover acesso a trabalho e, consequentemente, renda. No entanto, as lacunas encontradas na dimensão social poderiam ser minimizadas pela maior ação do poder público e das empresas, em parcerias com esses empreendimentos sociais coletivos, na elaboração de planos estratégicos que busquem ações direcionadas para maior acesso à saúde e aos programas de educação e capacitação profissional dos catadores de material reciclável

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CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
PROSUP - Programa de Suporte à Pós-Gradução de Instituições de Ensino Particulares
A melhoria nos processos produtivos em busca da eficiência na produção de novos bens e o crescimento populacional acompanhado pela elevação no consumo, ocasionam uma crescente geração de resíduos sólidos. Verifica-se que os problemas ambientais são decorrentes do perfil de consumo que as pessoas passaram a adotar ao longo dos anos, porém há um aumento de preocupação com a destinação adequada dos resíduos sólidos gerados pela sociedade. O reflexo desta preocupação são leis que foram criadas para proteger o meio ambiente. Um marco na legislação brasileira foi a Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos, que busca com o apoio dos empreendimentos de catadores de materiais recicláveis, realizar uma gestão correta dos resíduos sólidos urbanos. No entanto, no país, os empreendimentos que realizam a coleta, triagem e comercialização de resíduos sólidos, possuem níveis elevados de rejeitos ocasionados nas atividades internas. Sendo assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar o gerenciamento dos resíduos sólidos urbanos em dois empreendimentos de catadores de materiais recicláveis localizados na região metropolitana de Porto Alegre/RS para propor, a partir destes estudos, ações voltadas ao aumento da eficiência de triagem dos empreendimentos de catadores de materiais recicláveis instalados em vários municípios brasileiros. Foi possível observar que variáveis externas às atividades dos empreendimentos de catadores de materiais recicláveis, como veículo utilizado na coleta, influenciam nos níveis de rejeitos encaminhados aos aterros. Gerencialmente, a coleta seletiva é mais eficaz para obter melhor aproveitamento dos materiais potencialmente recicláveis. A COOTRE que realiza a coleta seletiva de RSU com caminhão com carroceria e tria com a esteira parada, apresenta eficiência de 97,1% na triagem dos materiais potencialmente recicláveis. Já a COOPERESÍDUOS que recebe RSU procedentes da coleta regular realizada com caminhão compactador e opera a triagem em uma esteira com velocidade de 20m/min, possui eficiência de 15,6% na triagem de materiais potencialmente recicláveis. Cabe considerar, contudo que, embora percentualmente esta eficiência seja bem menor que a da outra cooperativa, em função da quantidade de resíduos coletados nesta forma (regular com posterior triagem) ser muito maior, o resultado financeiro ainda é superior. A efetiva melhoria no processo está na mudança do sistema de coleta, de regular para seletiva, já que na coleta regular realizada hoje em São Leopoldo, 59,7% do total coletado é inadequado à reciclagem de inertes. Estes resíduos nem deveriam passar por qualquer triagem, sendo encaminhados diretamente para área de disposição final.
The improvement in production processes in pursuit of efficiency in the production of consumer goods and population growth accompanied by an increase in consumption, cause an increasing solid waste generation. It appears that environmental problems are arising from the consumption profile that people have adopted over the years, but there is a concern increased with the proper disposal of solid waste generated by society. The reflection of this concern are laws that are designed to protect the environment. A milestone in Brazilian law was the National Solid Waste Policy, which seeks the support of pickers of recyclable materials enterprises, conduct proper management of municipal solid waste. However, in the country, the enterprises that carry out the collection, sorting and marketing of solid waste, have caused high levels of waste in the internal activities. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the management of municipal solid waste in two projects of recyclable material collectors located in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre / RS to propose, from these studies, actions aimed at increasing the enterprises screening efficiency of recyclable material collectors installed in various municipalities. It was observed that external variables to the activities of waste pickers ventures as a vehicle used in the collection, influence the levels of waste sent to landfills. Management, selective collection is more effective for better use of potentially recyclable materials. The COOTRE that performs the selective collection of MSW with truck body and with industry to stop treadmill, shows 97,1% efficiency in the screening of potentially recyclable materials. COOPERESÍDUOS already receiving MSW coming from the regular collection held with compactor truck and operates screening on a treadmill at a speed of 20m / min, it has 15,6% efficiency in the screening of potentially recyclable materials. It is worth noting, however, that although this percentage efficiency is much lower than that of the other cooperative, depending on the amount of waste collected in this way (with subsequent regular screening) be much larger, the financial result is even higher. The actual process improvement lies in changing the collection system regularly for selective, since the regular collection held today in São Leopoldo, 59,7% of the total collected is inadequate recycling of aggregates. This waste should not go through any screening being sent directly to final disposal area.