Academic literature on the topic 'Raw material recovery'

In this paper, we study an inventory system over an infinite planning horizon where a time-varying demand is satisfied by process cycles that consist of a production batch followed by a recovery batch. Our model considers three types of inventory—returned items, serviceable items, and raw material. Furthermore, our model considers two recovery channels—recovery into serviceable items and recovery into raw material. Serviceable items are thus sourced from two inputs—direct recovery and production from raw material. These raw materials can be salvaged from returned items, as well as bought from external sources whenever required. We propose an expression for the unit time total cost as well as a numerical method to find the optimal policy. The properties of the model are studied through numerical experiments, in particular, the feasible situations where hybrid policies are better than pure policies.

Mobilizing industry and transforming industrial sectors to a circular economy (CE) is one of the key areas of activities in the European Green Deal (EGD)—the newest strategy of economic growth in European Union (EU). In the CE, the raw materials that can be recovered from various waste streams play a key role, therefore, recommendations for their management were developed, both at the European and national level. In Poland, the raw material recovery sector is one of the strategic sectors (key industries) described in several documents determining the further directions of economic growth in the country. This paper presents the revision of these documents and guidelines for the implementation of the CE in the raw material recovery sector. The scope of the paper also includes a description of the current state of the raw materials recovery sector and its return, supported by the analysis of drivers and barriers in its further development. In previous years, a dynamic development of the recovery industry was observed, followed by formation of new companies (dominated by medium-sized companies comprising ~50% of entities in the sector) and increasing amount of people employed (~70,700 people). A growing level of processing of secondary raw materials with the use of more and more innovative technologies has been observed, which could contribute to the improvement of the level of innovation of the national economy. There also some barriers, such as the lack of sufficiently developed industrial symbiosis (IS) and long-term support for the implementation of recovery technologies. The growing ecological awareness of society and enterprises themselves, as well as the growing belief in the importance of resource recovery for environmental protection, suggest the possibility of subsequent development of the raw materials recovery sector. Further actions in this field will be taken to strengthen the implementation of the CE in the country.

The treatment and disposal of industrial waste has become a critical economic and environmental issue with the ever-increasing rates of its generation. Industries in India, as major players in building the economy and GDP, expel about 7.4 million tons of hazardous waste annually, out of which around 3.98 million tons are recyclable for resource or energy recovery. India’s scenario in the usage of alternative fuel and raw material is less than 1%, which reflects a huge quantum of hazardous waste for potential usage in alternative fuel and raw material. The Netherlands, with around 83% of total hazardous waste, is the highest user of hazardous waste as alternative fuel and raw material in cement kilns. Uncontrolled waste management degrades land, ground water and air quality, leading to health risks to humans, animals and the ecosystem. Presently, industrial waste in most cases is disposed to landfills after incineration, without utilizing the full potential of the wastes through recirculation. The present study analyzed the current situation of the treatment facilities for attaining a sustainable management system using waste as alternative fuel and raw material for the disposal of hazardous waste. Through the alternative fuel and raw material concept, hazardous wastes can be used as a substitute for fossil fuels and/or raw material in a few types of industries. This will surely enhance the efficient recirculation of industrial wastes. This paper presents the overall view of Indian hazardous-waste generating industries, their locations, the potential of wastes as alternate sources of fuel to other industries, the use of alternative fuel and raw material by cement industries and applicable regulatory requirements.

β-Glucan (BG), one of the most abundant polysaccharides containing glucose monomers linked by β-glycosidic linkages, is prevalent in yeast biomass that needs to be recovered to obtain this valuable polymer. This study aimed to apply alkaline and enzymatic processes for the recovery of BG from the yeast strain Kluyveromyces marxianus TISTR 5925. For this purpose, the yeast was cultivated to produce the maximum yield of raw material (yeast cells). The effective recovery of BG was then established using either an alkaline or an enzymatic process. BG recovery of 35.45% was obtained by using 1 M NaOH at 90 °C for 1 h, and of 81.15% from 1% (w/v) hydrolytic protease enzyme at 55 °C for 5 h. However, BG recovered by the alkaline process was purer than that obtained by the enzymatic process. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy confirmed the purity, the functional groups, and the linkages of BG obtained from different recovery systems and different raw materials. The results of this study suggest that an alkaline process could be an effective approach for the solubilization and recovery of considerable purity of BG from the yeast cells. In addition, the obtained BG had comparable functional properties with commercially available BG. This study reveals the effectiveness of both chemical and biological recovery of BG obtained from yeast as a potential polymeric material.

The recovery of metals from used lithium-ion battery cathode materials is of both environmental and economic importance. In this study, acid leaching stepwise precipitation was used to separate and recover lithium, iron, and manganese from the mixed cathode material LiFePO4/LiMn2O4. The thermodynamic characteristics of lithium, iron, and manganese metal phases, especially the stability region, were analyzed by Eh-pH diagrams. The sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide leaching system released Fe3+, Mn2+, and Li+ ions from the cathode material. Fe3+ in the leaching solution was precipitated as Fe(OH)3 and finally recovered as Fe2O3 after calcination. Mn2+ in the leaching solution was recovered as MnCO3. The remaining Li+-rich solution was evaporated and crystallized into Li2CO3. The purity of the recycled products MnCO3 and Li2CO3 met the standard of cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries. XRD and XPS analysis showed that the main phase in the leaching residue was FePO4. This process can be used to separate and recover metals from mixed waste lithium-ion battery cathode materials, and it also provides raw materials for the preparation of lithium-ion battery cathode materials.

Globally, the construction industry is one of the most environmentally catastrophic industries, with a significant effect on the raw materials usage, their commitment of use throughout their whole life cycle, and the atmosphere in which they work. Between 1950 and 2010, global average material consumption rose from 5.0 t to 10.3 ton per capita per year, owing to population growth, industrialization, and increased socio-economic strength. Moreover, this industry uses 35% of produced energy and releases 40% of carbon dioxide into the Earth's atmosphere. One hundred fifty million tons of CDW is made in India according to the BMPTC, and less than 1% is reutilized properly added to that the 55% of total solid waste in India are from the construction industry. The waste produced during the demolition can be well utilized if managed and appropriately recovered, which directly reduces the virgin raw material usage in the new construction, decreasing the amount ending in the landfill. This study aims to understand the strategies and technology for material recovery after the building's life. The literature review will be taken up to list the different strategy in practice for material recovery. The techniques for material recovery are discussed to understand more in detail. This research helps find the other methods for material recovery and equipment and technology during the demolition and reconstruction of the RCC framed structure. The bottlenecks in the adoption of the various strategy are studied in this research.

Increasing protein demand has led to growing attention being given to the full utilization of proteins from side streams in industrial fish processing. In this study, proteins were recovered from three protein-rich side streams during Tra catfish (Pangasius hypophthalamus) processing (dark muscle; head-backbone; and abdominal cut-offs) by an optimized pH-shift process. Physicochemical characteristics of the resulting fish protein isolates (FPIs) were compared to industrial surimi from the same raw material batch. The pH had a significant influence on protein extraction, while extraction time and the ratio of the extraction solution to raw material had little effect on the protein and dry matter recoveries. Optimal protein extraction conditions were obtained at pH 12, a solvent to raw material ratio of 8, and an extraction duration of 150 min. The resulting FPI contained <10% of the fat and <15% of the ash of the raw material, while the FPI protein recovery was 83.0–88.9%, including a good amino acid profile. All FPIs had significantly higher protein content and lower lipid content than the surimi, indicating the high efficiency of using the pH-shift method to recover proteins from industrial Tra catfish side streams. The FPI made from abdominal cut-offs had high whiteness, increasing its potential for the development of a high-value product.

Scientific and technical issues related to the extraction and processing of raw materials are inextricably linked with environmental concerns. The extraction, transportation and processing of raw materials and the creation of new products place a heavy burden on the environment. Therefore, the development of new technologies for the extraction and processing of raw materials which meet the demand for specific products while respecting environmental resources and saving energy can be considered one of the key challenges of modern science. The development of methods to optimize the course of certain processes related to the raw materials industry, limiting its impact on the environment, and the use of modern measurement techniques or modeling are key areas of research and development for the economy. The aim of this Special Issue was to identify certain important issues, including those related to the raw materials industry and the optimization of its processes, obtaining energy from alternative fuels and research on environmental aspects of industrial activities. The results of the research and analyses presented in the articles show that meeting the objectives in the context of sustainable raw materials industry requires: the optimization of the use of mine deposits and the recovery of materials, reductions in energy consumption, minimizations in emissions of pollutants, the perfection of quieter and safer processes and the facilitation of the recovery of materials-, water- and energy-related modern techniques and technologies.

Particleboard was invented to increase the utilization of wood and it soon became an important core material for furniture production. Nowadays, other industries such as the pulp and papermaking industry and the thermal energy recovery industry claim the same type of raw material. This leads to increasing competition and higher prices than in the past when that kind of wood raw material was widely available and of low price. The particleboard-producing industry is therefore seeking opportunities to reduce the competition and ensure the future supply of lignocellulosic raw material for their products. The purpose of the work summarised in this thesis was to investigate the strategic supply of lignocellulosic raw materials for particleboard production and to evaluate alternatives for the supply of lignocellulosic raw material for particleboard production. To encompass the complex field of strategic raw material supply, several publications have considered different stages along the supply chain. These papers range from empirical studies to practical tests on a laboratory scale. In this thesis, some of the papers are linked together, building the base for the overall results. The results show that the task of increasing the supply of lignocellulosic raw material as primary raw material source is limited by several factors, but that improved product design coupled with a suitable recycling concept can greatly increase the availability of lignocellulosic raw material as a secondary source. Alternatively, the use of non-wood plants might be an opportunity to substitute wood as raw material but there are still some problems relating to the particle properties which must be overcome first.

This master’s thesis responds to the worldwide problem concerning in the search of new material base for the future usage. Solid residues from high temperature or fluid coal combustion could be one of many alternatives to the raw materials. The study deals with the analysis of side energy products produced by power plant industry in the Czech Republic. Based on the fly ash chemical composition, possibilities of aluminium and even iron and titanium separation were proposed and then proved in the laboratory scale. Extracted components were separated selectively using apropriate methods. Then a couple of sintering reactions leading to improvement the leachability of selected elements from the fly ash matrix were carried out. Appropriate input material modification by high-temperature sintering reaction combined with extraction process in the sulfuric acid solution leads in dissolution up to 99 % of aluminium from the fluid and high-temperature fly ash.

This master thesis deals with the current situation of waste management of material usable municipal waste with focus on various fractions of plastics. The theoretical part summarises the legislation of waste treatment, also contains an analysis of the current situation of waste management in the Czech Republic and comparison the situation in the European Union. In the next part of thesis are described basic fractions of plastics and their properties. There are mentioned the current problems with plastics processing and the risks of leakage to the environment. Furthermore, a complex chain of plastic waste reprocessing is described, since the inception of plastics waste to the manufacture of products made from recycled plastics. The most attention is paid to the discription of recycling plant, where the output material from sorting lines is reprocessed into a secondary material in the form of flakes or granules. Also this part is focused on the technology of recycling line and the individual devices are described. In the practical part of the thesis is created techno-economic model of recycling line with the aim of its use for balance calculations of recycling and also economic evaluation. As a part of the model was made a market research of secondary raw materials with a focus on price development. Subsequetly, sensitivity analyzes of selected parameters are applied to the model and the impact of scenarios on the economic results are evaluated.

Critical raw materials (CRMs) are essential for a wide range of European industrial ecosystems. Access to critical resources is necessary for Europe’s ambition to achieve climate neutrality and deliver the Green Deal. However, supply of material from primary sources is putting extreme pressure on the planet through greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss and water stress. In this scenario, promoting circular economy by obtaining resources from secondary sources is therefore essential to reduce the environmental burden posed by raw material primary extraction and to secure the supply chain of CRMs. This work is a preliminary assessment on the potential of the electrodialytic (ED) treatment in alkaline condition on a tungsten carbide scrap powder obtained from end-of-life cutting tools industry for the recovery of two CRMs: Tungsten (W) and Cobalt (Co). Modular ED reactors with 2 or 3 cell compartments have been used to perform eleven ED experiments (each lasting 24 h), with either NaOH or NH4OH and at 100, 150 or 200 mA to individuate the best reactor configuration, alkaline reagent, and current intensity. The alkaline reagents were placed at different concentrations in the anode compartment (in case of 2-compartments reactor) or in the central compartment (in case of a 3-compartments reactor) along with 450 mL of deionized water and the solid matrix with a solid:liquid ratio of 1/50. Inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy was used to quantify the amount of W and Co obtained in solution at the end of the experiments. The experiments showed that the 2-compartments ED cell setup at 100 mA and with NaOH 0.1 M resulted in the highest W dissolution ( 651 mg), and that the 3-compartments ED cell setup at 100 mA and with NaOH 0.01 M resulted in the highest Co dissolution ( 372 mg) and electromigration (85%). Further investigation is needed to optimize the operational parameters.

Eutrophication due to excess loading of phosphorus (P) is a leading cause of water quality degradation within the United States. The aim of this study was to investigate P removal and recovery with 12 materials (four calcite varieties, wollastonite, dolomite, hydroxylapatite, eggshells, coral sands, biochar, and activated carbon. This was accomplished through a series of batch experiments with synthetic wastewater solutions ranging from 10-100 mg PO₄-P/ L. The results of this study were used to establish large-scale, calcite-based column filter experiments located in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources' Eco-Machine. Influent and effluent wastewater samples were routinely collected for 64 days. Measures of filter performance included changes in pH, percent reduction and mass adsorbed of P. After the columns reached saturation, filter media was analyzed for the mineralogical content by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). In the batch experiments, P removal and recovery varied among the media and across treatments. The best performing minerals were calcite, wollastonite, and hydroxylapatite. Eggshells, activated carbon, and coral sands also reduced and adsorbed P. The remaining materials had the lowest reductions and adsorption of P. Results from batch experiments informed the design of large column filters within the Rubenstein School of the Environment and Natural Resources' Eco-Machine. Removal and adsorption rates of P by the three column filters were similar. The columns achieved an average P reduction of 12.53% (se = 0.98) and an average P adsorption of 0.649 mg PO₄-P/ kg media (se = 0.03) over a 4-h hydraulic retention time. Paired T-tests showed that P reductions were statistically significant (p-value < 0.05) on the majority of sampling dates until the columns reached saturation. Saturation was reached after 31 days for two of the columns and 36 days for the third column. The filter media consistently buffered the pH of the wastewater to approximately 6.0-7.0 with no indication of diminishing buffer capacity after saturation. XRD analysis was not able to detect any P species within the crystalline structure of the filter media. This research contributes to the understanding of how the selected media perform during P removal and recovery programs, while providing information on the performance of large column filters operating within advanced, ecologically engineered wastewater treatment systems.

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.

The objective of this work is to evaluate the reaction initiation characteristics of quasi-statically compressed intermetallic-forming aluminum-based reactive materials upon impact initiation, consisting of equi-volumetric tantalum-aluminum, tungsten-aluminum, nickel-aluminum, and pure aluminum. A modified Taylor rod-on-anvil setup was employed to determine the reaction initiation threshold kinetic energy and actual energy for plastic deformation and subsequent reaction. Experimental sample remnants were recovered and examined through X-ray diffraction to determine reaction products.The overall results indicate that of the various intermetallic-forming systems investigated, Ta+Al was the most reactive and was the only system where any reaction products were retrieved. While all of the intermetallic systems reacted in air, only Ta+Al and W+Al reacted in vacuum environment suggesting differences in reaction mechanisms influencing the reactivity of intermetallic mixtures. Based on the threshold energy for onset of reaction it appears that the Ta-Al compacts show reaction conditions below those required for reaction of Al in air. This combined with the fact that Ta+Al compacts also react in vacuum implies that the Ta+Al undergoes anaerobic intermetallic reaction while the other systems react with the oxidation of Al. The effect of compact packing density on the kinetic energy threshold for reaction initiation were also evaluated. It was observed more densely packed Ta+Al and Ni+Al powder compacts react more easily than less densely packed samples. While the effect of packing density is not as obvious in the case of pure Al and W+Al powder compacts. Finally, a particle size effect is seen on Ni+Al on samples of < 92% density where coarser (+325 -200 mesh) equal-volumetric powder mixtures were observed to be more reactive than finer Ni+Al (-325 mesh).

碩士
國立臺北科技大學
環境工程與管理研究所
107
In recent years, the bottom ash of the re-utilization of resources, although more than 80% or more, for the second and third types of products in Taiwan. Because the content of water-soluble chloride ions after pretreatment of MSWI bottom ash is still higher than the standard (<0.024 wt.%). Therefore, the focus of this study is mainly to use the spouted bed half to half batches and dosing (acetic acid) panning way to remove the bottom ash of the water-soluble chloride ions. Expect to comply with the first category of Taiwan's bottom ash standard (<0.024 wt.%) and can be reused in the first category of standard products after the addition of the nature of the product. In this study, the ratio of liquid to solid, residence time, the amount of acidic chemicals and the rate of jet flow were used as experimental parameters. The results showed that when the rate was 0.849 cm / s and 0.991 cm / s, the water-soluble chloride ions reduction efficiency was similar. Therefore, the effect of water-soluble chloride ions is estimated to be near saturation, and the ratio of liquid-solid ratio, residence time and the amount of acidic agent added are positively correlated with water-soluble chloride ion reduction efficiency. When the spray time was 40 minutes, the ratio of liquid to solid was 3, the jet rate was 0.991 cm / s and pH = 2.3, the water-soluble chloride concentration in the incinerated bottom ash was reduced from 0.773% to 0.017% and the removal efficiency was 97.80%. Although acid washing can significantly reduce the water-soluble chloride ion content in the bottom ash, also change the original chemical properties of the bottom ash. When the washing time was 40 minutes, the ratio of liquid to solid was 3 and pH = 2.3, the alumina and calcium oxide in the bottom ash decreased from 3.69% to 2.79% and 18.574% to 14.117%. From the results available, add weak acid detergent wash will make the main chemical composition of the bottom ash slightly changed. This is mainly due to soluble salts in the acid under the effect of increased solubility caused by the increase in liquid to solid ratio can achieve the same effect. But the results do not affect the feasibility of the use of bottom ash and heavy metal reduction is beneficial to the bottom of the re-use. It is worth the follow-up bottom ash residue re-use reference.

Dissertação de Mestrado em Ecologia apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
Diversas actividades antropogénicas libertam metais no meio ambiente, o que se tem vindo a tornar um problema grave. Microorganismos modificados podem ser usados como ferramentas promissoras de biorremediação para limpar áreas contaminadas por metais. O tungstênio (W) é um elemento de transição, com alta densidade que é usado em várias indústrias em todo mundo. Alguns microorganismos têm a capacidade de utilizar esse elemento como cofator para enzimas. Eles são capazes de transportar W para dentro das células usando o transportador de tungstênio altamente específico tupABC, que é constituído pela TupA (proteína de ligação W), TupB (proteína formadora de poros transmembranares) e TupC (ATPase periplasmática). Neste estudo, o grupo de genes tupABC da estirpe Sulfitobacter dubius NA4 foi usado para realizar várias construções genéticas na estirpe Escherichia coli DH5α. Foram construídos cinco clones diferentes, tupA_1 (gene completo tupA), tupA_2 (tupA sem sequência de endereçamento), tupA_3 (tupA com sequência de endereçamento do gene ompA), tupBC e tupBCA. Todos os clones foram testados quanto à capacidade de absorção de tungstênio, molibdênio (Mo) e crómio, utilizando diferentes métodos de quantificação de metais. A técnica de ICP-MS foi utilizada como abordagem padrão para a quantificação de W e Mo e os métodos DPC adaptado e ácido tânico foram utilizados como métodos espectrofotométricos para quantificação de W e Mo, respectivamente. O método DPC padrão foi usado para quantificação de cromato. Neste trabalho, concluímos que o clone tupBCA apresentou a maior capacidade de absorção W e Mo quando comparado com os outros clones. Embora a sua capacidade fosse mais relevante para W do que para o Mo. Em conclusão, estes resultados confirmaram que o sistema tupABC é o principal mecanismo de transporte de W para as células e a presença da proteína de ligação ao W é essencial para melhorar a absorção de W pelas células bacterianas. Em relação às técnicas alternativas para quantificação de W e Mo, ambos os métodos espectrofotométricos foram úteis na quantificação de metais, embora tenham mostrado algumas limitações, como a baixa sensibilidade à concentração de metais.
Several anthropogenic activities have released metals in the environment, which has become a serious issue. Modified microorganisms can be used as promising bioremediation tools to clean metal contaminated areas. Tungsten (W) is a transition element, with a high density that is used in several industries around the world. Some microorganisms have the capacity to use this element as cofactor in their enzimes. They are able to transport W into the cells using the highly specific tungsten transporter tupABC, which is constituted by the TupA (W binding protein), TupB (transmembrane pore forming protein) and TupC (periplasmatic ATPase). In this study the tupABC gene cluster of strain Sulfitobacter dubius NA4 was used to perform several genetic constructions in the strain Escherichia coli DH5α. Five different clones were constructed, tupA_1 (tupA full gene), tupA_2 (tupA without addressing sequence), tupA_3 (tupA with ompA gene addressing sequence), tupBC and tupBCA. All the clones were tested to tungsten, molybdenum (Mo) and chromium uptake capability using different metal quantification methods. ICP-MS was used as the standard approach for W and Mo quantification and the adapted DPC and the tannic acid methods were used as spectrophotometric methods for W and Mo quantification, respectively. The standard DPC method was used for chromate quantification. In this work, we concluded that clone tupBCA showed the highest ability to accumulate W and Mo when compared with the other clones. Though its capability was more relevant for W than Mo. In conclusion, these results confirmed that the tupABC system is the main W-transport mechanism to the cells and the presence of the W-binding protein is essential to improve the W uptake by bacterial cells. Moreover, in regard of the alternative techniques for W and Mo quantification, both spectrophotometric methods were useful in metal quantification, although they had shown some limitations, such as their low metal concentration sensitivity.

Concrete is the most versatile, durable and reliable material and is the most used building material. It requires large amounts of Portland cement which has environmental problems associated with its production. Hence, an alternative concrete – geopolymer concrete is needed. The general aim of this book is to make significant contributions in understanding and deciphering the mechanisms of the realization of the alkali-activated fly ash-based geopolymer concrete and, at the same time, to present the main characteristics of the materials, components, as well as the influence that they have on the performance of the mechanical properties of the concrete. The book deals with in-depth research of the potential recovery of fly ash and using it as a raw material for the development of new construction materials, offering sustainable solutions to the construction industry.

In 1947, urban European populations were having difficulty finding enough to eat in local markets. Farmers were not selling their food to the cities because there were too few manufactured goods available to entice farmers to grow more than their families required. Manufacturing needed to be expanded and jobs created throughout the continent to revive urban demand for rural production. The American Marshall Plan was designed to provide the financing, raw materials, and food needed to kick-start Europe’s economic recovery and revive agriculture. This chapter describes that program and the role of food aid in the ensuing European recovery. It traces the shifting emphasis, in the later years of the Marshall Plan, to supporting governments in Asia facing increased threat of communist subversion. The chapter also charts the failure of the Truman administration to deal successfully with domestic agriculture, particularly the buildup in government-owned food stocks.

Rare earth elements (REE) have applications in various modern technologies, e.g., semiconductors, mobile phones, magnets. They are categorized as critical raw materials due to their strategic importance in economies and high risks associated with their supply chain. Therefore, more sustainable practices for efficient extraction and recovery of REE from secondary sources are being developed. This book, Environmental Technologies to Treat Rare Earth Elements Pollution: Principles and Engineering: presents the fundamentals of the (bio)geochemical cycles of rare earth elements and which imbalances in these cycles result in pollution.overviews physical, chemical and biological technologies for successful treatment of water, air, soils and sediments contaminated with different rare earth elements.explores the recovery of value-added products from waste streams laden with rare earth elements, including nanoparticles and quantum dots. This book is suited for teaching and research purposes as well as professional reference for those working on rare earth elements. In addition, the information provided in this book is helpful to scientists, researchers and practitioners in related fields, such as those working on metal/metalloid microbe interaction and sustainable green approaches for resource recovery from wastes. ISBN: 9781789062229 (Paperback) ISBN: 9781789062236 (eBook) ISBN: 9781789062243 (ePUB)

People have been digging in the ground for useful minerals for thousands of years. Mineral materials are the foundation of modern industrial society. As the global population grows and standards of living in emerging and developing countries rises, the demand for mineral products is increasing. Mining ensures that we have an adequate supply of the raw materials to produce all the components of modern life, and at competitive prices. Innovation is central to meeting the diverse challenges faced by the mining industry. It is critical for developing techniques for finding new deposits of minerals, enabling us to recover increasing amounts of minerals from the ground in a cost-effective manner, and ensuring it this is done in a way that is as environmentally responsible. This book provides the first in-depth global analysis of the innovation ecosystem in the mining sector. This book is Open Access.

Illuminating the entangled histories of the people and commodities that circulated across the Atlantic, Sharika D. Crawford assesses the Caribbean as a waterscape where imperial and national governments vied to control the profitability of the sea. Crawford places the green and hawksbill sea turtles and the Caymanian turtlemen who hunted them at the center of this waterscape. The story of the humble turtle and its hunter, she argues, came to play a significant role in shaping the maritime boundaries of the modern Caribbean. Crawford describes the colonial Caribbean as an Atlantic commons where all could compete to control the region’s diverse peoples, lands, and waters and exploit the region’s raw materials. Focusing on the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Crawford traces and connects the expansion and decline of turtle hunting to matters of race, labor, political, and economic change, and the natural environment. Like the turtles they chased, the boundary-flouting laborers exposed the limits of states’ sovereignty for a time but ultimately they lost their livelihoods, having played a significant role in the legislation delimiting maritime boundaries. Still, former turtlemen have found their deep knowledge valued today in efforts to protect sea turtles and recover the region’s ecological sustainability.

AbstractIn order to furtherly proceed with the recycling of raw materials from e-wastes, PCBs must be treated in a hydrometallurgical process able to extract useful materials from them. This chapter presents some details of the hydrometallurgical pilot plant developed in FENIX.

Energy-from-Waste plants using grate-based systems have gained world-wide acceptance as the preferred method for the sustainable treatment of waste. Key factors are not only the reduction of waste volume and mass and the destruction or separation of pollutants but also the efficient production and use of energy (electricity, district heating/cooling, process steam), compliant disposal and the recovery of resources from combustion residues (e.g. metals, rare earths). International requirements relating to energy efficiency and materials recovery by means of thermo-recycling in Energy-from-Waste plants call for the continuing development and optimization of existing technologies and concepts. The technologies and processes for the recovery of reusable materials from dry-discharged bottom ash and from filter ash point to the key role that Energy-from-Waste plants are able to play in the efficient conservation of resources. It is primarily thermal treatment with dry discharge and subsequent processing of the bottom ash fractions that enables Energy-from-Waste plants to justify their status as universal recyclers. In addition to recovery of the energy inherent in the waste, the treatment of dry-discharged bottom ash is an important contribution to compliance with raw material and climate policies and to the promotion of closing the material cycle in general. Furthermore, dry bottom ash discharge represents a further step towards waste-free operation and “after-care-free” landfills. This paper documents the potential of Energy-from-Waste plants for the recovery of resources and provides examples of recent developments and large-scale implementations of innovative recovery technologies in Europe.

The aim of the paper consists in the treatment of post-consumer and technological waste of elastomers and plastomers, according to the 4R principle (reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery) by transforming them into raw materials with added value and integrating them into different industries. This will lead to the developing of new processing concepts regarding obtaining new biodegradable composite materials, with various waste contents (10-50 wt%). The composite is based on chloroprene rubber, and added post-consumer recycled rubber particles, with size of 45 mesh, eco-reinforcing material, and active fillers, plasticizers, vulcanizing agents, antioxidants. In order to enhance the compatibility and their level of interaction, the elastomer waste was finely ground (cryogenic mill) and functionalized with potassium oleate. Rubber waste acts as a filling material which leads to lower carbon footprint of the composite and lower mass. Tensile, tear strength, elasticity, hardness, abrasion resistance, melt flow index and morphological study (FT-IR) of those composites were examined in order to determine their viability in various application areas. The transformation of waste (cryogenically ground, and functionalized) into new products with added value will lead to remarkable improvements in the life cycle of raw materials and the sustainable use of this waste, contributing to increasing sustainability, improving eco-efficiency and economic efficiency and reducing the carbon footprint on the environment.

"The recovery of agriculture waste is one of the challenges of 2030 Agenda. Food and Agriculture Organization states that 30 % of the world’s agricultural land is used to produce food that is later lost or wasted, and the global carbon footprint corresponds to 7% of total greenhouse gases emissions. Alternatively, natural fibers contained in food and agricultural waste could be a valuable feedstock to reinforce composite biopolymers contributing to increase mechanical properties. In addition, the use of biopolymers matrix could contribute significantly to reduce the environmental footprint of the biobased compounds. Based on these premises, a regional project in Emilia-Romagna, aims to enhance agricultural waste to produce food packaging materials which in turn would contribute to the reduction of green raw materials used. This article reviews the state of art of composite biopolymers added with fillers extracted by food and agricultural waste, analyzing the literature published on scientific databases such as Scopus. The characteristics, advantages and drawbacks of each innovative sustainable material will be studied, trying to compare their various properties. The results of the work could guide companies in the choice of eco-sustainable packaging and lay the foundations for the development of the mentioned regional project."

Abstract Traditional economic analysis methods for manufacturing decisions include only the clearly identified and immediate cost and revenue streams. Quality and environmental issues have generally been seen as costs, in the form of wastes, material losses, inspections, rejects, compliance tests and pre-discharge treatments. The components of the waste stream, often purchased as raw materials, become liabilities at the “end of the pipe” and none of their intrinsic material value is recognized. Quality requirements have been seen as burdens placed on the system which constrain the manufacturer’s freedom of strategy for increasing profits, although recent evidence shows that firms are recognizing the value of improved quality systems. A new mathematical treatment of manufacturing economics is proposed in which the costs of quality along with the costs for separation of the waste stream and costs of external quality problems are compared with the intrinsic value of the waste materials to show how their recovery can provide an economic advantage to the manufacturer. The model is based on the application of thermodynamic analysis to economic modeling. This paper describes the proposed model, and examines case studies in which the changed decision rules have yielded significant savings while protecting the environment. The premise proposed is that by including quality costs and the value of the waste materials in the profit objective of the firm and applying the appropriate technological solutions, manufacturing processes can approach closed systems in which losses are minimized and environmental problems are converted into economic savings.

The need for fossil fuels which tends to increase without an increase in oil production has become the main factor in applying the Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) methods in the mature oil field. Chemical injection using surfactants is one of the EOR technologies that has been proved to be able to increase oil recovery. In this study, surfactants were synthesized using a fatty acid derived from palm oil as hydrophobic group and polyethylene-glycol as hydrophilic group. The use of vegetable oil as raw material is possible because it is abundant and environmentally friendly. Esterification of nonionic surfactant was performed by utilizing the azeotrope technique (Toluena-H2O) between fatty acid (oleic, stearic, palmitic and lauric acids) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) (200, 300, 400, 600, 1000, and 1500). The reaction was optimized with various moles of fatty acid and PEG equivalents (1:1,1; 1:2,5; 1;3) and various time reaction. Product surfactant was characterized by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) to determine the optimum condition and reaction conversion. The molecular structure of the surfactant was confirmed by 1H NMR. Nonionic surfactant was then analyzed by measuring the interfacial tension (IFT) of oil and water. The results showed that the optimum conditions to obtain the lowest IFT were achieved by reacting hydrophobic groups of oleic acid and hydrophilic groups of PEG-400 at an equivalent mole ratio of 1: 3 and a reaction time of 5 hours. Oleic PEG-400 surfactant was able to decrease the IFT of oil and water as low as 10-4 dyne/cm in brine salinity condition of 18000 ppm and oil 34,39 OAPI. The results was then used to design the synthesis of vegetable surfactant oil with various carbon chain lengths and functional groups as an EOR surfactant hydrophobic group.

In order to ensure EU’s transition to a climate-neutral energy environment, in accordance with the Paris Agreement, enhanced energy efficiency of waste utilization emerges as an important tool to achieve carbon neutrality goals. Several technologies for renewable waste treatment are investigated lately, researches worldwide focusing on exploiting their energy potential and diminishing the environmental impact. It is remarkable that, solid renewable waste is suitable to supply in particular grate or layer combustion plants. This energy valorization solution reached the technical maturity, experimentally and numerically proven. Further, to support regional development incentives implementation, local utilization of different wastes is strongly encouraged. Considering the fairly uniform territorial spread of poultry farms in Romania, this paper presents a case study aiming to provide a sustainable solution for bird waste management and local energy recovery from it, avoiding significant additional costs, as well as storage and transportation issues. The energy independence level is assessed in two scenarios. To this regard, the energy consumption of a real poultry production hall of 910 m2 (located in Giurgiu County, having 4650 birds/operating cycle, with a poultry waste flow of 558 𝑘𝑔waste ⁄day) is taken into account. The first scenario analyzes the disposal (for energy recovery purposes) of poultry waste as an individual raw material, while the second scenario investigates a mixture of poultry waste and agricultural biomass residues. It is demonstrated that the electricity and heating requirements of the hall can be partially satisfied in the first scenario and fully in the second one. Therefore, the multi-waste management concept investigated in this paper represents a sustainable solution to reduce industry’s carbon footprint, answering multiple requirements in the environmentally friendly energy sector development.

Processing of Nickel-Titanium shape memory alloys (NiTi) is by no means easy because all processing steps can strongly affect the properties of the material. Hence, near-net-shaping technologies are very attractive for processing NiTi due to reduction of the processing route. Additive Manufacturing (AM) provides especially promising alternatives to conventional processing because it offers unparalleled freedom of design. In the last 5 years AM of NiTi received little attention from academics and researchers and, therefore, is far from being established for processing NiTi today. This work is to highlight the current state of the art of using the AM technique Selective Laser Melting (SLM) for processing high quality NiTi parts. For this reason, fundamentals for SLM processing of NiTi are described. It is shown in detail that a careful control of process parameters is of great importance. Furthermore, this work characterizes structural and functional properties like shape recovery, referring to the shape memory effect in Ti-rich SLM NiTi, or pseudoelasticy in Ni-rich SLM NiTi. It is shown that both types of shape memory effects can be adjusted in SLM NiTi by the choice of the raw material and processing strategy. By comparing the properties of SLM NiTi to those of conventionally processed NiTi, this work clearly shows that SLM is an attractive manufacturing method for production of high quality NiTi parts.

Abstract The aviation industry has been growing continuously over the past decades. Despite the current Covid-19 crisis, this trend is likely to resume in the near future. On an international level, initiatives like the Green Recovery Plan promoted by the European Union set the basis towards a more environmentally friendly future approach for the aero-industry. The increasing air traffic and the focus on a more sustainable industry as a whole lead to an extensive need for a more balanced assessment of a products life cycle especially on an ecological level. Blisks (or IBRs) remain a central component of every current and very possible every future aero engine configuration. Their advantages during operation compared to conventional compressor rotors are met with a considerably complex manufacturing and production process. In the high-pressure compressor segment of an engine, the material selection is limited to Titanium alloys such as Ti6Al4V and heat-resistant Nickel-alloys such as Inconel718. The corresponding process chains consist of numerous different process steps starting with the initial raw material extraction and ending with the quality assurance (cradle to gate). Especially the central milling process requires a highly qualified process design to ensure a part of sufficient quality. Life-Cycle-Assessments enable an investigation of a products overall environmental impact and ecological footprint throughout its distinct life-cycle. Formal LCAs are generally divided by international standards into four separate steps of analysis: the goal and scope definition, the acquisition of Life Cycle-Inventory, the Life-Cycle-Impact-Assessment and the interpretation. This content of this paper focuses on a general approach for Life-Cycle-Assessment for Blisk manufacturing. • Firstly, the goal and scope is set by presenting three separate process chain scenarios for Blisk manufacturing, which mainly differ in terms of raw material selection and individual process selections for blade manufacturing. • Secondly, the LCI data (Life-Cycle Inventory) acquisition is illustrated by defining all significant in- and outputs of each individual process step. • Thirdly, the approach of a Life-Cycle-Impact-Assessment is presented by introducing the modelling approach in an LCA-software environment. • Fourthly, an outlook and discussion on relevant impact-indicators for a subsequent interpretation of future results are conducted.

The objective of this paper is to determine and compare the environmental impacts of two toasters: standard and eco-friendly. The most rapidly growing sector for the e-waste world comes from Electronic household products. More than 2 million tons of electronic products are disposed off as solid waste to landfills in the US alone. The demand for energy supplies has been rapidly increasing in the past decade. Strict legislative measures should be enforced to protect the environment by making industries collect back the manufactured products at the End-of-Life (EOL) from the users and recycle the products. If these necessary steps are not taken, then these e-wastes will impose serious threat to society and the environment. In order to re-design environmentally friendly products and facilitate sustainable take-back planning, current products need to be evaluated for their environmental impacts. One of the widely used methodologies to assess the environmental impacts of a product is called Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). LCA is a cradle to grave approach for assessing the environmental impacts of a product. The cradle to grave approach includes raw material phase, manufacturing and assembly phase, use phase, recovery phase and disposal phase. The system boundary for LCA presented in this paper includes material phase, manufacturing phase, use-phase and disposal phase. The functional unit for the LCA is entire life of the toaster which is one year based on manufacturer’s warranty which also includes the rate of usage. The environmental impacts from the two toasters as presented in this paper include eutrophication, acidification, energy-use and global warming. The use phase energy impact is experimentally determined.

A great deal of energy can be sourced both directly and indirectly from waste. For example, municipal waste with an energy content of around 60 petajoules is incinerated in Switzerland every year. The energy recovered directly from this waste covers around 4 % of the Swiss energy demand. However, the greatest potential offered by waste management lies in the recovery of secondary raw materials during the recycling process, thus indirectly avoiding the energy-intensive production of primary raw materials. In order to optimise the contribution to the energy turnaround made by waste management, as a first step, improvements need to be made with respect to the transparent documentation of material and cash flows, in particular. On the basis of this, prioritisation according to the energy efficiency of various recycling and disposal channels is required. Paper and cardboard as well as plastic have been identified as the waste fractions with the greatest potential for improvement. In the case of paper and cardboard, the large quantities involved result in considerable impact. With the exception of PET drinks bottles, plastic waste is often not separately collected and therefore offers substantial improvement potential. Significant optimisation potential has also been identified with regard to the energy efficiency of incineration plants. To allow municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) plants to use the heat they generate more effectively, however, consumers of the recovered steam and heat need to be located close by. A decisive success factor when transitioning towards an energy-efficient waste management system will be the cooperation between the many stakeholders of the federally organised sector. On the one hand, the sector needs to be increasingly organised along the value chains. On the other hand, however, there is also a need to utilise the freedom that comes with federal diversity in order to test different solutions.

In Colombia, as well as in the rest of the world, the Covid-19 pandemic has seriously damaged the health and well-being of the people. In order to limit the damage, local and national authorities have had to order large sectors of the population to be confined at their homes for long periods of time. An inevitable consequence of isolation has been the collapse of economic activity, expenditure, and employment, a phenomenon that has hit many countries of the world affected by the disease. It is an unprecedented crisis in modern times, not so much for its intensity (which is undoubtedly immense), but because its origin is not economic. That is what makes it so unpredictable and difficult to manage. Naturally, its economic consequences are enormous. Governments and central banks from all over the world are struggling to mitigate them, but the final solution is not in the hands of the economic authorities. Only science can provide a way out. In the meantime, the economic indicators in Colombia and in the rest of the world cause concern. The output falls, the massive loss of jobs, and the closure of businesses of all sizes have become daily news. Added to this, there is the deterioration in global financial conditions and the increase in the risk indicators. Financial volatility has increased and stock indexes have fallen. In the face of the lower global demand, export prices of raw materials have fallen, affecting the terms of trade for producing countries. Workers’ remittances have declined due to the increase of unemployment in developed countries. This crisis has also generated a strong reduction of global trade of goods and services, and effects on the global value chains. Central banks around the world have reacted decisively and quickly with strong liquidity injections and significant cuts to their interest rates. By mid-July, such determined response had succeeded to revert much of the initial deterioration in global financial conditions. The stock exchanges stopped their fall, and showed significant recovery in several countries. Risk premia, which at the beginning of the crisis took an unusual leap, recorded substantial corrections. Something similar happened with the volatility indexes of global financial markets, which exhibited significant improvement. Flexibilization of confinement measures in some economies, broad global liquidity, and fiscal policy measures have also contributed to improve global external financial conditions, albeit with indicators that still do not return to their pre-Covid levels.

Macroeconomic summary Several factors contributed to an increase in projected inflation on the forecast horizon, keeping it above the target rate. These included inflation in December that surpassed expectations (5.62%), indexation to higher inflation rates for various baskets in the consumer price index (CPI), a significant real increase in the legal minimum wage, persistent external and domestic inflationary supply shocks, and heightened exchange rate pressures. The CPI for foods was affected by the persistence of external and domestic supply shocks and was the most significant contributor to unexpectedly high inflation in the fourth quarter. Price adjustments for fuels and certain utilities can explain the acceleration in inflation for regulated items, which was more significant than anticipated. Prices in the CPI for goods excluding food and regulated items also rose more than expected. This was partly due to a smaller effect on prices from the national government’s VAT-free day than anticipated by the technical staff and more persistent external pressures, including via peso depreciation. By contrast, the CPI for services excluding food and regulated items accelerated less than expected, partly reflecting strong competition in the communications sector. This was the only major CPI basket for which prices increased below the target inflation rate. The technical staff revised its inflation forecast upward in response to certain external shocks (prices, costs, and depreciation) and domestic shocks (e.g., on meat products) that were stronger and more persistent than anticipated in the previous report. Observed inflation and a real increase in the legal minimum wage also exceeded expectations, which would boost inflation by affecting price indexation, labor costs, and inflation expectations. The technical staff now expects year-end headline inflation of 4.3% in 2022 and 3.4% in 2023; core inflation is projected to be 4.5% and 3.6%, respectively. These forecasts consider the lapse of certain price relief measures associated with the COVID-19 health emergency, which would contribute to temporarily keeping inflation above the target on the forecast horizon. It is important to note that these estimates continue to contain a significant degree of uncertainty, mainly related to the development of external and domestic supply shocks and their ultimate effects on prices. Other contributing factors include high price volatility and measurement uncertainty related to the extension of Colombia’s health emergency and tax relief measures (such as the VAT-free days) associated with the Social Investment Law (Ley de Inversión Social). The as-yet uncertain magnitude of the effects of a recent real increase in the legal minimum wage (that was high by historical standards) and high observed and expected inflation, are additional factors weighing on the overall uncertainty of the estimates in this report. The size of excess productive capacity remaining in the economy and the degree to which it is closing are also uncertain, as the evolution of the pandemic continues to represent a significant forecast risk. margin, could be less dynamic than expected. And the normalization of monetary policy in the United States could come more quickly than projected in this report, which could negatively affect international financing costs. Finally, there remains a significant degree of uncertainty related to the duration of supply chocks and the degree to which macroeconomic and political conditions could negatively affect the recovery in investment. The technical staff revised its GDP growth projection for 2022 from 4.7% to 4.3% (Graph 1.3). This revision accounts for the likelihood that a larger portion of the recent positive dynamic in private consumption would be transitory than previously expected. This estimate also contemplates less dynamic investment behavior than forecast in the previous report amid less favorable financial conditions and a highly uncertain investment environment. Third-quarter GDP growth (12.9%), which was similar to projections from the October report, and the fourth-quarter growth forecast (8.7%) reflect a positive consumption trend, which has been revised upward. This dynamic has been driven by both public and private spending. Investment growth, meanwhile, has been weaker than forecast. Available fourth-quarter data suggest that consumption spending for the period would have exceeded estimates from October, thanks to three consecutive months that included VAT-free days, a relatively low COVID-19 caseload, and mobility indicators similar to their pre-pandemic levels. By contrast, the most recently available figures on new housing developments and machinery and equipment imports suggest that investment, while continuing to rise, is growing at a slower rate than anticipated in the previous report. The trade deficit is expected to have widened, as imports would have grown at a high level and outpaced exports. Given the above, the technical staff now expects fourth-quarter economic growth of 8.7%, with overall growth for 2021 of 9.9%. Several factors should continue to contribute to output recovery in 2022, though some of these may be less significant than previously forecast. International financial conditions are expected to be less favorable, though external demand should continue to recover and terms of trade continue to increase amid higher projected oil prices. Lower unemployment rates and subsequent positive effects on household income, despite increased inflation, would also boost output recovery, as would progress in the national vaccination campaign. The technical staff expects that the conditions that have favored recent high levels of consumption would be, in large part, transitory. Consumption spending is expected to grow at a slower rate in 2022. Gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) would continue to recover, approaching its pre-pandemic level, though at a slower rate than anticipated in the previous report. This would be due to lower observed GFCF levels and the potential impact of political and fiscal uncertainty. Meanwhile, the policy interest rate would be less expansionary as the process of monetary policy normalization continues. Given the above, growth in 2022 is forecast to decelerate to 4.3% (previously 4.7%). In 2023, that figure (3.1%) is projected to converge to levels closer to the potential growth rate. In this case, excess productive capacity would be expected to tighten at a similar rate as projected in the previous report. The trade deficit would tighten more than previously projected on the forecast horizon, due to expectations of an improved export dynamic and moderation in imports. The growth forecast for 2022 considers a low basis of comparison from the first half of 2021. However, there remain significant downside risks to this forecast. The current projection does not, for example, account for any additional effects on economic activity resulting from further waves of COVID-19. High private consumption levels, which have already surpassed pre-pandemic levels by a large margin, could be less dynamic than expected. And the normalization of monetary policy in the United States could come more quickly than projected in this report, which could negatively affect international financing costs. Finally, there remains a significant degree of uncertainty related to the duration of supply chocks and the degree to which macroeconomic and political conditions could negatively affect the recovery in investment. External demand for Colombian goods and services should continue to recover amid significant global inflation pressures, high oil prices, and less favorable international financial conditions than those estimated in October. Economic activity among Colombia’s major trade partners recovered in 2021 amid countries reopening and ample international liquidity. However, that growth has been somewhat restricted by global supply chain disruptions and new outbreaks of COVID-19. The technical staff has revised its growth forecast for Colombia’s main trade partners from 6.3% to 6.9% for 2021, and from 3.4% to 3.3% for 2022; trade partner economies are expected to grow 2.6% in 2023. Colombia’s annual terms of trade increased in 2021, largely on higher oil, coffee, and coal prices. This improvement came despite increased prices for goods and services imports. The expected oil price trajectory has been revised upward, partly to supply restrictions and lagging investment in the sector that would offset reduced growth forecasts in some major economies. Elevated freight and raw materials costs and supply chain disruptions continue to affect global goods production, and have led to increases in global prices. Coupled with the recovery in global demand, this has put upward pressure on external inflation. Several emerging market economies have continued to normalize monetary policy in this context. Meanwhile, in the United States, the Federal Reserve has anticipated an end to its asset buying program. U.S. inflation in December (7.0%) was again surprisingly high and market average inflation forecasts for 2022 have increased. The Fed is expected to increase its policy rate during the first quarter of 2022, with quarterly increases anticipated over the rest of the year. For its part, Colombia’s sovereign risk premium has increased and is forecast to remain on a higher path, to levels above the 15-year-average, on the forecast horizon. This would be partly due to the effects of a less expansionary monetary policy in the United States and the accumulation of macroeconomic imbalances in Colombia. Given the above, international financial conditions are projected to be less favorable than anticipated in the October report. The increase in Colombia’s external financing costs could be more significant if upward pressures on inflation in the United States persist and monetary policy is normalized more quickly than contemplated in this report. As detailed in Section 2.3, uncertainty surrounding international financial conditions continues to be unusually high. Along with other considerations, recent concerns over the potential effects of new COVID-19 variants, the persistence of global supply chain disruptions, energy crises in certain countries, growing geopolitical tensions, and a more significant deceleration in China are all factors underlying this uncertainty. The changing macroeconomic environment toward greater inflation and unanchoring risks on inflation expectations imply a reduction in the space available for monetary policy stimulus. Recovery in domestic demand and a reduction in excess productive capacity have come in line with the technical staff’s expectations from the October report. Some upside risks to inflation have materialized, while medium-term inflation expectations have increased and are above the 3% target. Monetary policy remains expansionary. Significant global inflationary pressures and the unexpected increase in the CPI in December point to more persistent effects from recent supply shocks. Core inflation is trending upward, but remains below the 3% target. Headline and core inflation projections have increased on the forecast horizon and are above the target rate through the end of 2023. Meanwhile, the expected dynamism of domestic demand would be in line with low levels of excess productive capacity. An accumulation of macroeconomic imbalances in Colombia and the increased likelihood of a faster normalization of monetary policy in the United States would put upward pressure on sovereign risk perceptions in a more persistent manner, with implications for the exchange rate and the natural rate of interest. Persistent disruptions to international supply chains, a high real increase in the legal minimum wage, and the indexation of various baskets in the CPI to higher inflation rates could affect price expectations and push inflation above the target more persistently. These factors suggest that the space to maintain monetary stimulus has continued to diminish, though monetary policy remains expansionary. 1.2 Monetary policy decision Banco de la República’s board of directors (BDBR) in its meetings in December 2021 and January 2022 voted to continue normalizing monetary policy. The BDBR voted by a majority in these two meetings to increase the benchmark interest rate by 50 and 100 basis points, respectively, bringing the policy rate to 4.0%.

1.1 Macroeconomic summary In September, headline inflation (11.4% annually) and the average of core inflation indicators (8.6% annually) continued on a rising trend, and higher increases than expected were recorded. Forecasts increased again, and inflation expectations remained above 3%. Inflationary surprises in the third quarter were significant and widespread, and they are the result of several shocks. On the one hand, international cost and price shocks, which have mainly affected goods and foods, continue to exert upwards pressure on national inflation. In addition to these external supply shocks, domestic supply shocks have also affected foods. On the other hand, the strong recovery of aggregate demand, especially for private consumption and for machinery and equipment, as well as a higher accumulated depreciation of the Colombian peso and its pass-through to domestic prices also explain the rise in inflation. Indexation also contributes, both through the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and through the Producer Price Index (PPI), which continues to have a significant impact on electricity prices and, to a lesser degree, on other public utilities and rent. In comparison with July’s report, the new forecast trajectory for headline and core inflation (excluding food and regulated items) is higher in the forecast horizon, mainly due to exchange rate pressures, higher excess demand, and indexation at higher inflation rates, but it maintains a trend of convergence towards the target. In the case of food, a good domestic supply of perishable foods and some moderation in international processed food prices are still expected. However, the technical staff estimates higher pressures on this group’s prices from labor costs, raw material prices, and exchange rates. In terms of the CPI for regulated items, the new forecast supposes reductions in electricity prices at the end of the year, but the effects of indexation at higher inflation rates and the expected rises in fuel prices would continue to push this CPI group. Therefore, the new projection suggests that, in December, inflation would reach 11.3% and would decrease throughout 2023 and 2024, closing the year at 7.1% and 3.5%, respectively. These forecasts have a high level of uncertainty, due especially to the future behavior of international financial conditions, external price and cost shocks, the persistence of depreciation of the Colombian peso, the pace of adjustment of domestic demand, the indexation degree of nominal contracts, and the decisions that would be made regarding domestic fuel and electricity prices. Economic activity continues to surprise on the upside, and the projection of growth for 2022 rose from 6.9% to 7.9% but lowered for 2023 from 1.1% to 0.5%. Thus, excess demand is higher than estimated in the previous report, and it would diminish in 2023. Economic growth in the second quarterwas higher than estimated in July due to stronger domestic demand, mainly because of private consumption. Economic activity indicators for the third quarter suggest that the GDP would stay at a high level, above its potential, with an annual change of 6.4%, and 0.6% higher than observed in the second quarter. Nevertheless, these numbers reflect deceleration in its quarterly and annual growth. Domestic demand would show similar behavior, with a high value, higher than that of output. This can be explained partly by the strong behavior of private consumption and investment in machinery and equipment. In the third quarter, investment in construction would have continued with mediocre performance, which would still place it at levels lower than those observed before the pandemic. The trade deficit would have widened due to high imports with a stronger trend than that for exports. It is expected that, in the forecast horizon, consumption would decrease from its current high levels, partly as a consequence of tighter domestic financial conditions, lower repressed demand, higher exchange rate pressures on imported goods prices, and the deterioration of actual income due to the rise in inflation. Investment would continue to lag behind, without reaching the levels observed before the pandemic, in a context of high financing costs and high uncertainty. A lower projected behavior in domestic demand and the high levels of prices for oil and other basic goods that the country exports would be reflected in a reduction in the trade deficit. Due to all of this, economic growth for all of 2022, 2023, and 2024 would be 7.9%, 0.5%, and 1.3%, respectively. Expected excess demand (measured via the output gap) is estimated to be higher than contemplated in the previous report; it would diminish in 2023 and could turn negative in 2024. These estimates remain subject to a high degree of uncertainty related to global political tension, a rise in international interest rates, and the effects of this rise on demand and financial conditions abroad. In the domestic context, the evolution of fiscal policy as well as future measures regarding economic policy and their possible effects on macroeconomic imbalances in the country, among others, are factors that generate uncertainty and affect risk premia, the exchange rate, investment, and the country’s economic activity. Interest rates at several of the world’s main central banks continue to rise, some at a pace higher than expected by the market. This is in response to the high levels of inflation and their inflation expectations, which continue to exceed the targets. Thus, global growth projections are still being moderated, risk premia have risen, and the dollar continues to gain strength against other main currencies. International pressures on global inflation have heightened. In the United States, core inflation has not receded, pressured by the behavior of the CPI for services and a tight labor market. Consequently, the U.S. Federal Reserve continued to increase the policy interest rate at a strong pace. This rate is expected to now reach higher levels than projected in the previous quarter. Other developed and emerging economies have also increased their policy interest rates. Thus, international financial conditions have tightened significantly, which reflects in a widespread strengthening of the dollar, increases in worldwide risk premia, and the devaluation of risky assets. Recently, these effects have been stronger in Colombia than in the majority of its peers in the region. Considering all of the aforementioned, the technical staff of the bank increased its assumption regarding the U.S. Federal Reserve’s interest rate, reduced the country’s external demand growth forecast, and raised the projected trajectory for the risk premium. The latter remains elevated at higher levels than its historical average, within a context of high local uncertainty and of extensive financing needs from the foreign sector and the public sector. All of this results in higher inflationary pressures associated to the depreciation of the Colombian peso. The uncertainty regarding external forecasts and its impact on the country remain elevated, given the unforeseeable evolution of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, of geopolitical tensions, and of the tightening of external financial conditions, among others. A macroeconomic context of high inflation, inflation expectations and forecasts above 3%, and a positive output gap suggests the need for contractionary monetary policy, compatible with the macroeconomic adjustment necessary to eliminate excess demand, mitigate the risk of unanchoring in inflation expectations, and guarantee convergence of inflation at the target. In comparison with the July report forecasts, domestic demand has been more dynamic, with a higher observed output level that surpasses the economy’s productive capacity. Headline and core inflation have registered surprising rises, associated with the effects of domestic and external price shocks that were more persistent than anticipated, with excess demand and indexation processes in some CPI groups. The country’s risk premium and the observed and expected international interest rates increased. As a consequence of this, inflationary pressures from the exchange rate rose, and in this report, the probability of the neutral real interest rate being higher than estimated increased. In general, inflation expectations for all terms and the bank’s technical staff inflation forecast for 2023 increased again and continue to stray from 3%. All of the aforementioned elevated the risk of unanchoring inflation expectations and could heighten widespread indexation processes that push inflation away from the target for a longer time. In this context, it is necessary to consolidate a contractionary monetary policy that tends towards convergence of inflation at the target in the forecast horizon and towards the reduction of excess demand in order to guarantee a sustainable output level trajectory. 1.2 Monetary policy decision In its September and October of 2022 meetings, Banco de la República’s Board of Directors (BDBR) decided to continue adjusting its monetary policy. In September, the BDBR decided by a majority vote to raise the monetary policy interest rate by 100 basis points (bps), and in its October meeting, unanimously, by 100bps. Therefore, the rate is at 11.0%. Boxes 1 Food inflation: a comparison with other countries