Circular Economy


Unilever subsidiary spurs new investment deal ahead of government-mandated packaging change - April 5, 2025

"This investment is a significant step in building recycling capabilities and a circular economy for plastic," said HUL CEO and Managing Director ...


Pesantren's Progress Through the Circular Economy - Opinion En.tempo.co - April 5, 2025

Circular economy practices in pesantren offer many benefits, paving the way to financial independence.


Transteel and Tata Steel unveil graphene jute-cotton furniture fabrics - April 5, 2025

... circular economy model and significantly reduce reliance on plastics.The collaboration showcases Transteel's new bio chairs collection, in ...


Dear Recycle Lady - Mountain Messenger - April 5, 2025

It also saves money, lowers the amount of waste sent to the landfill and helps reduce our carbon footprint. A circular economy is more sustainable as ...


Denmark and Thailand sign agreements on circular economy and waste management - April 5, 2025

... circular economy initiatives across the ASEAN region. In the afternoon, a Letter of Intent was signed between Thailand's Department of Local ...


Mercedes Dodges Massive Fine After Reporting On Rivals' Shady Cartel - CarBuzz - April 5, 2025

Audi Circular economy · Audi Glass recycling · Funding project Car2Car · BMW's cover shot for project Car2Car · EU Flags Brussels Cropped.


How to build a more sustainable molding operation: From strategy to success - April 5, 2025

... circular economy. Throughout his career —starting at Husky in 1989 — he has progressed through several roles including: mold manufacturing ...


A Multi-Objective Approach for Designing a Circular Supply Chain for Electric Vehicle Batteries - April 5, 2025

... circular economy goals by optimizing EVB reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling. ... This article is part of a special issue entitled: Circular Economy ...


A Complete Overview of Sustainability LIVE Chicago - April 4, 2025

Interactive panel discussions will dive deep into areas such as climate resilience, decarbonisation strategies, circular economy principles and ...


Improving Seattle's Startup Culture – GeekWire Events Calendar - April 4, 2025

... circular economy efforts. ​Daphne Dejong, founder of Ven Underwriting: Ven is creating an AI-automated risk platform to enable financing of ...


Webinar: Closing the Loop: Polyester Recycling for Circularity - April 4, 2025

... circular economy. Conor supports the work of the AAFA Environmental Committee and AAFA Product Safety Council by engaging with public and private ...


Quest Resource Holding Corporation Finalizes Sale of Non-Core Portion of RWS Business - April 4, 2025

... circular economy. The total consideration for the sale was approximately $5 million in cash paid at closing, plus additional amounts payable to ...


Blue Tide completes 're-refining' facility - Bulk Transporter - April 4, 2025

... excited about its potential to drive growth while supporting a circular economy.” Sign up for Bulk Transporter eNewsletters. Bulk Logistics Trends.


Providing students with skills to help build a sustainable economy - RPRA - April 4, 2025

... circular economy. The EU's 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan aims to reduce resource consumption, encourage recycling, and create sustainable jobs.


German warehouse logistics firm Jungheinrich launches CVC - - Global Corporate Venturing - April 4, 2025

... circular economy and sustainability. The CVC is independent of the parent company to give it “maximum entrepreneurial freedom and agility to ...


Commentary: Waste, CPG industries must lean into data to make sustainable packaging a reality - April 4, 2025

We can't rely solely on good intentions and recyclable arrows on packages. For the circular economy to work effectively for both consumer packaged ...


Lutheran World Relief expands coffee and cocoa portfolio with new project, new partners in ... - April 4, 2025

The OCIDA project is not merely an agricultural initiative; it is a transformative force for sustainable change. By centering circular economy ...


Stadler develops second Republic Services Polymer Center - Recycling Today - April 4, 2025

... circular economy," says Pete Keller, Republic Services vice president, Recycling and Sustainability. "With the addition of a second Polymer Center ...


DPI and AI are steering South Africa's G20 Presidency agenda - The World Economic Forum - April 4, 2025

See all · Circular economy: How developing countries can thrive with fewer new products. Henrik Hvid Jensen. April 3, 2025. Developing countries are ...


Circular economy: The synergistic role of SDGs, blockchain, and Industry 5.0 - April 4, 2025

How can SDGs enable a circular economy? The United Nations' SDGs offer a structure for attaining sustainability. Several of the 17 SDGscomplement.


Circular economy: The synergistic role of SDGs, blockchain, and Industry 5.0 - April 4, 2025

Adopting a circular economy for resilience is driven by the push for sustainability. SDGs, blockchain, and Industry 5.0 are pivotal in enabling ...


On | Battersea Power Station - April 4, 2025

On's award-winning CloudTec® and LightSpray™ innovation, purposeful design and groundbreaking strides within the circular economy have attracted a ...


IIN's Sustaining Illinois program awards seed grants to six new research projects - April 4, 2025

Circular Economy Startup Simulator: Fostering Emerging Youth Entrepreneurship through AR, VR, and AI Thought Partnerships in Illinois Anne-Marie ...


4. Conclusion - Procurement activity: annual report 2022 to 2023 - gov.scot - April 4, 2025

... circular economy considerations/requirements into procurements and subsequent reporting. For our “good for businesses and their employees ...


Latham Watkins Advises Divert on Financing From Nuveen Energy Infrastructure Credit - April 4, 2025

Firm represents the circular economy company on a mission to prevent food waste in the financing.


Top 10 Growth Opportunities in the Polymers and Composites Market in 2025 - Yahoo Finance - April 4, 2025

... for transformative growth in 2025, driven by sustainability, circular economy initiatives, and technologica.


REBEL Scales Up Operations in Kannapolis, Rowan County as Rebrand Fuels Growth - April 4, 2025

Their mission of sustainability and a circular economy is something we believe in. We look forward to supporting their corporate endeavors, hiring ...


How Will US Tariffs Impact Corporate Sustainability? - Sustainability Magazine - April 4, 2025

Circular economy innovation: Reducing mineral dependencies through recycling and waste-to-resource models. Policy advocacy: Aligning corporate ...


Clothing is being produced and discarded at unprecedented rates - RPRA - April 4, 2025

Circular Economy Learning Series Events · Environmental Fees on Products ... What is the Circular Economy? Where to Recycle map. News. Latest ...


Circular economy in construction aided by closed-loop thinking - RPRA - April 4, 2025

A circular economy goes beyond the three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) by redesigning buildings to minimize waste and reliance on finite resources.


Wind turbine blade recycling for greener and sustainable wind energy | Nature Reviews Materials - April 4, 2025

Circular economy approaches. Aligned with the principles of a circular economy, the initial approach to WTB waste management involves reuse. As wind ...


Forvis Mazars brings net zero target date forward by five years - April 4, 2025

Other sustainable measures include prioritising circular economy principles of rethink, reduce, re-use, recover and recycle; have a sustainable ...


Employee engagement in sustainability: Cultivating a green culture at work - April 4, 2025

Once employees experience these advantages, they will be more supportive of sustainable transportation benefits. Embrace a circular economy approach ...


Dynamic Cross-Linker Facilitates a Closed-Loop Circular Economy in Upcycled Acrylonitrile ... - April 4, 2025

Dynamic Cross-Linker Facilitates a Closed-Loop Circular Economy in Upcycled Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene. Click to copy article linkArticle link ...


Dynamic Cross-Linker Facilitates a Closed-Loop Circular Economy in Upcycled Acrylonitrile ... - April 4, 2025

Dynamic Cross-Linker Facilitates a Closed-Loop Circular Economy in Upcycled Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene ... circular economy. 2. Experimental ...


Circular economy and EU's energy transition: The moderating and transitioning effects of ... - April 4, 2025

This study estimates the possible linkages from circular economy (CE) to energy transition (ET) using the moderation effects of circular carbon ...


Koehler Paper Embodies the Circular Economy: From Wafer Packaging to Luxury Watch Boxes - April 4, 2025

Koehler Paper Embodies the Circular Economy: From Wafer Packaging to Luxury Watch Boxes ... Candymaker Loacker, from South Tyrol, has used Koehler ...


Circular Computing partners with Exertis to propel refurbished laptop distribution - CRN UK - April 4, 2025

... circular economy.” Rod Neale, CEO of Circular Computing, added: “This feels like an important next step in building the sustainable IT market in ...


New holding fund to provide EUR 280m for SMEs, R&D, circular economy - STA - April 4, 2025

New holding fund to provide EUR 280m for SMEs, R&D, circular economy. Ljubljana, 4 April - The SID development and investment bank is making EUR ...


Mary Creagh CBE MP and UK Government to support Festival of Circular Economy - April 4, 2025

Mary Creagh, the government Minister for Nature, will give a keynote presentation at the Festival of Circular Economy reaffirming the UK ...


Meet the Team | Elijah Andrews - Clough - April 4, 2025

“In educating myself about Circular Economy principles I hope to have a positive impact on the environmental footprint of Civil Engineering and ...


Ecobat Expands Recycling with Three Plants - The EV Report - April 4, 2025

Strategically located to meet global demand and promote a circular economy. The newly commissioned plants focus on producing black mass, a ...


AI-driven transformation in food manufacturing: a pathway to sustainable efficiency and quality assurance - April 4, 2025

Front Nutr. 2025 Mar 13;12:1553942. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1553942. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

This study aims to explore the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in food manufacturing by optimizing production, reducing waste, and enhancing sustainability. This review follows a literature review approach, synthesizing findings from peer-reviewed studies published between 2019 and 2024. A structured methodology was employed, including database searches and inclusion/exclusion criteria to assess AI applications in food manufacturing. By leveraging predictive analytics, real-time monitoring, and computer vision, AI streamlines workflows, minimizes environmental footprints, and ensures product consistency. The study examines AI-driven solutions for waste reduction through data-driven modeling and circular economy practices, aligning the industry with global sustainability goals. Additionally, it identifies key barriers to AI adoption-including infrastructure limitations, ethical concerns, and economic constraints-and proposes strategies for overcoming them. The findings highlight the necessity of cross-sector collaboration among industry stakeholders, policymakers, and technology developers to fully harness AI's potential in building a resilient and sustainable food manufacturing ecosystem.

PMID:40181942 | PMC:PMC11966451 | DOI:10.3389/fnut.2025.1553942


Inside the Divide: A Stakeholder's Perspective on Formal vs. Informal Waste Practices - April 4, 2025

Integr Environ Assess Manag. 2025 Apr 4:vjaf047. doi: 10.1093/inteam/vjaf047. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Global solid waste mismanagement has reached unprecedented levels, leading to significant environmental and social challenges, including pollution, resource depletion, and labor exploitation. The circular economy's principle of reuse offers a potential solution, but more research is needed to facilitate this transition. The informal sector plays a key role in waste reuse, yet its integration with formal regulatory framework and waste management systems remains challenging. A study in Lebanon, using semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, explored the informal sector's role in waste reuse. The findings reveal that while the reuse and repair market has grown due to the economic crisis, it remains underdeveloped. Informal workers create challenges by hindering the efficiency of formal waste management systems and undermining the economic sustainability of recycling projects. Their unregulated activities can lead to operational disruptions, reduced material value, and increased public health and environmental costs. The informal sector operates with little oversight, and the system's deficiencies-legal, technical, and economic-exacerbate these issues, including the absence of an effective cost-recovery mechanism. Formalizing or integrating the informal sector is a complex process that involves not only waste management issues but also political and regional challenges. The research suggests that regulating the waste management sector is the best approach to address these challenges, helping transition informal workers into a formalized system. This would improve overall waste management, making informal operations less financially viable over time.

PMID:40184213 | DOI:10.1093/inteam/vjaf047


NLWA launches "UK's first" electrical repair voucher scheme - Circular Online - April 4, 2025

... circular economy. “This initiative has great potential – not only to normalise getting everyday items fixed instead of replaced, but also to give ...


Advancing circular economy and construction sustainability: transforming mine tailings into ... - April 4, 2025

Advancing circular economy and construction sustainability: transforming mine tailings into high-value cementitious and alkali-activated concrete.


Shipbuilder considers circular economy, low-emissions vessel construction - April 4, 2025

Shipyards can play their part in maritime decarbonisation by applying a circular economy strategy to designing and constructing vessels.


Scaling-up nutritional proteins from alternative sources - April 4, 2025

Deadline: 2025-09-18

Successful proposals will contribute to the implementation of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy and its action plan, the EU Industrial strategy, the Circular Economy Action Plan, Europe’s food security and Farm2Fork strategy ambition as well as the Food 2030 pathways as well as the EU Initiative on Biotech and Biomanufacturing.

Projects results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes:

  • Increased availability of sustainably sourced nutritional proteins.
  • Increased resilience of food systems via diversification of protein sources.
  • Contribution to the sustainability of food systems in...

Two Cork organisations shortlisted in RDS Sustainability and Circular Economy Awards - April 4, 2025

The awards look to celebrate the people behind farms and businesses that are developing effective and impactful sustainability or circular economy ...


Top 10 Growth Opportunities in the Circular Economy Market in 2025 - Yahoo Finance - April 4, 2025

... Circular Economy Market, 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.The circular economy market is poised for significant ...


Top 10 Growth Opportunities in the Polymers and Composites Market in 2025 - April 4, 2025

The polymers and composites market is poised for transformative growth in 2025, driven by sustainability, circular economy initiatives, and ...


The power of collaboration: building Zero Waste Cities in Ukraine - April 4, 2025

... circular economy. They are joined by the Hamburg Institute for Innovation, Climate Protection and Circular Economy, and key allies such as Zero ...


Circular economy: Audi secures strategic and cost-efficient supply of recycled raw materials - April 4, 2025

Audi reaches a milestone and continues to drive forward the circular economy in the automotive industry. The company wants to increase the use of ...


We need to fix Landfills Here s How? - Tax Management India. Com - April 4, 2025

Promote Circular Economy: The foundation of landfill reduction is minimizing the amount of waste generated. · Waste Reduction Campaigns: Governments ...


“Our metals are indispensable”: Aurubis underscores its crucial role at Annual General Meeting - April 4, 2025

This is part of the multimetal company's significant contribution to a functioning circular economy and confirms its zero-waste approach that ...


The EU and U.S. Sustainability Race: What's Up Ahead? - Impakter - April 4, 2025

Tags: circular economyEconomyEnvironmentESGESG RegulationsESG standardsEUSustainability ... Circular Economy · Climate Change · INDUSTRY NEWS.


Not that Norfolk! Mislabelled shipments led to Trump tariffs on uninhabited islands and remote outposts with no US trade - April 4, 2025

Exclusive: Aquarium systems, Timberland boots and recycling plant parts were mislabelled as coming from remote Norfolk Island or Heard and McDonald islands

Trade tariffs imposed on tiny Australian territories that are either uninhabited or claim to have no trading relationship with the US appear to have been calculated based on erroneous trade data.

The data relates, at least in part, to shipments mislabelled as coming from remote Norfolk Island, or Heard Island and McDonald Islands, instead of their correct countries of origin, the Guardian can reveal.

Among the erroneously labelled shipments over the past five years from the island territories are shipments of aquarium systems, Timberland boots, wine and parts for a recycling plant.

Continue reading...

Environmental Impact and Healthcare Systems' Resilience - Sanofi - April 4, 2025

Our circular economy ambition places waste reduction and circularity at its heart. Our operational waste objective is that, by end-2025, at least ...


Towards circular economy: Sustainable valorization of municipal solid waste incineration fly ... - April 4, 2025

Towards circular economy: Sustainable valorization of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash for recovery of high-purity chlorides and calcium ...


Sweden VAT donations and reused goods 2026-27 - vatcalc.com - April 3, 2025

There are some quick wins, including harmonisation of VAT on charitable donations to help the circular economy. Adapting VAT rules to promote ...


Michael Posner, Conscience Incorporated: The Role of Business and Investment in ... - April 3, 2025

... circular economy. Read more about Ron Gonen '04 on Building a Circular Economy Through Leadership and Innovation about Ron Gonen '04 on Building a ...


Liquidity Services Announces Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2025 Earnings Conference Call - April 3, 2025

BETHESDA, Md., April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Liquidity Services (NASDAQ:LQDT), a leading global commerce company powering the circular economy,..


Estimates vary but credible evidence points to gigaton-scale climate change mitigation ... - April 3, 2025

Biochar is a carbon dioxide (CO2) removal strategy that supports food security, sustainable land management and the circular economy.


Cooperative working towards net-zero healthcare systems - gov.scot - April 3, 2025

The NHS Scotland Circular Economy programme, working with wider partners across the UK, is keen to share knowledge and looks forward to working with ...


Coca-Cola, PepsiCo forced to change packaging after new government mandate - The Cool Down - April 3, 2025

The end goal of this new rule is a sustainable circular economy where plastic bottles are collected, recycled, and made into new bottles. For ...


A circular economy starts with waste collection and sorting | OMV.com - April 3, 2025

A circular economy starts with waste collection and sorting ... Collecting and sorting waste is the first step in recycling - industry experts explain ...


Interface Uses Captured Carbon in Carpet Tiles - edie - April 3, 2025

Circular economy · Climate & nature · Net-zero strategy · Strategy and delivery · Supply chain management · Tech & innovation. Tags. Business ...


Discover NextGen Growth 2030: Holcim's new strategy - April 3, 2025

Circular economy · Circular economy · Circular Explorer · Nature · Nature · Biodiversity · Water · Marine preservation · People and communities.


Application of Lean Techniques and Tools in the Precast Concrete Manufacturing Process ... - April 3, 2025

Resources, Conservation and Recycling. (2021). KristoffersenE. The smart circular economy: A digital-enabled circular strategies ...


Chitosan: A Breakthrough in Sustainable Crop Protection - CropLife - April 3, 2025

Sustainability and the Circular Economy. Beyond its agricultural benefits, chitosan production contributes to a zero-waste, circular economy. “By ...


Legrand Unveils 2025-2027 Global CSR Roadmap - Commitment - GlobeNewswire - April 3, 2025

Developing a More Circular Economy: By 2027, 50% of new and redesigned projects shall meet Legrand's Eco-Design index criteria, 37% of sustainable ...


Do we need highways for space? - SpaceNews - April 3, 2025

Luca delves into the company's broader vision of a circular economy in space, where instead of clearing debris, they aim to recycle and repurpose it.


Saint-Gobain Video Series: Journey to 2030: Gypsum Circularity | Morningstar - April 3, 2025

In our latest episode of Journey to 2030, Saint-Gobain is showing how circular economy practices can be successful! When it comes to finding ways ...


Bioleaching of Rare Earth Fluorescent Lamp Phosphors Using Kombucha - April 3, 2025

Furthermore, it highlights the potential of bioleaching to improve the recycling of critical materials such as yttrium, aligning with circular economy ...


VCE debuts pneumatic waste collection system - Airports International - April 3, 2025

... circular economy. The new pneumatic waste collection system serves the south side of the passenger terminal but will eventually be implemented ...


Sustainable Manufacturing Market to Reach $430.64 Billion by 2032, Growing at a CAGR of ... - April 3, 2025

Market Growth Driven by Government Regulations, Circular Economy Adoption, and Technological Advancements. REDDING, Calif., April 3, ...


GreenBiz 2025: Making change now - Trellis Group - April 3, 2025

Accelerating the Circular Economy. Colorado Convention Center — Denver, Colorado. May 6. EU PPWR Unpacked: What It Means for Your Business. Webinar ...


CA21134 - Towards zer0 Pesticide AGRIculture : European Network for sustainability (T0P-AGRI-Network) - April 3, 2025

Deadline: 2026-09-18

Current crop protection in EU agriculture is heavily reliant on chemical pesticides to suppress weeds, pests and pathogens. In view of the serious health and environmental consequences, European public authorities, consumers, and society at large are demanding drastically reduced use of chemical pesticides, in the context of a production of safe, high-quality and affordable food. Furthermore, farmers are calling for research and innovation solutions to protect crops with non-chemical means while maintaining a viable farm economy. A change of direction and paradigm is needed to foster this...


Car recycling cartel exposed, NGOs demand accountability and transparency - April 3, 2025

Fynn Hauschke, Policy Officer for Circular Economy and Waste at the EEB, said: “The Commission's action highlights the lack of transparency and ...


India calls on BRICS to Unite on 'Baku to Belem Roadmap' to Mobilize USD 1.3 Trillion for ... - PIB - April 3, 2025

... circular economy in achieving sustainability goals. The Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Industry Coalition, launched under G20, was cited ...


Bureau of Indian Standards Conducts Annual Convention on Sustainability and ... - April 3, 2025

... Circular Economy, and Biodiversity & Ecosystem. Featured speakers included Dr. Alok Sinha (IIT Dhanbad), Dr. Anju Singh (IIM Mumbai), and Ms ...


Heightened Scrutiny of Green Claims in the European Union and Switzerland | 洞察 | 盛德 - April 3, 2025

... circular economy in their everyday lives. The Commission subsequently proposed the Green Claims Directive (GCD) to tackle greenwashing across all ...


Dutch EfW workers strike over proposed plastic tax - letsrecycle.com - April 3, 2025

... circular economy on 16 April. The Ministry of Finance has said that it will take the concerns of the union “seriously”. Share this article with ...


Pod in a Nutshell: Digital by Design - Buro Happold - April 3, 2025

Digital Twins are crucial to the circular economy, helping to select optimal materials for projects and track their maintenance over time.


Mexican industry invests in green steel future as route to curb Chinese imports - Fastmarkets - April 3, 2025

Energy-efficient technologies, circular economy. Roberto Navarro, steel production manager at TYASA, detailed the company's progress in energy ...


Turning used plastics into possibility - Alberta Innovates - April 3, 2025

Applying circular economy principles across Alberta · How you can support the march toward global plastic sustainability · Resources to learn more about ...


Foreign agencies help Việt Nam build legal framework for e-waste - Vietnam News - April 3, 2025

... Decree in the third quarter in 2025, signaling a major step towards refining the country's waste management and circular economy policies.


Italy – “CircuWasteVETAfrica”: Promoting Green Skills and Circular Economy Education in Africa - April 3, 2025

Launched at the end of March and now set to begin, this initiative aims to promote sustainable waste management and the circular economy in Africa ...


Unpacking the economic and health benefits of upstream innovation - Climate KIC - April 3, 2025

Explore how Circular Economy Innovation Clusters in rapidly growing cities like Bengaluru and Nairobi are addressing waste challenges through ...


Creating pathways to upstream solutions through Circular Economy Innovation Clusters - April 3, 2025

What we know is that start-ups in the circular economy space face scaling challenges due to the need to balance economic goals with social and ...


Waste fines could be issued without going through Court system - Circular Online - April 3, 2025

... circular economy transition · March 27, 2025 · Waste fines could be issued ... Circular Economy · April 1, 2025. Connect. • Related articles. WRAP ...


Gabriel Ivan, CHEP: „We need to build a necessary framework to develop the circular ... - April 3, 2025

... Circular Economy Conference organized by The Diplomat-Bucharest and Sustainability-Today. ... circular economy area. We have a very appreciated ...


Circular Business Models Unlock New Profit and Growth - Bain & Company - April 3, 2025

Circular Economy · COO insights · Operations · Performance Improvement · Sustainability · World Economic Forum. Authors. Joshua Hinkel. Partner, ...


ZF Aftermarket and Brake Engineering Shine on Car SOS - April 3, 2025

Tim Shaw previously collaborated with Brake Engineering on caliper remanufacturing videos. ZF promotes a circular economy. In the first episode, ...


Ecobat Accelerates Battery Recycling with Three Fully Operational Lithium Recycling Plants ... - April 3, 2025

... circular economy by processing a range of lithium-ion battery types. The facility also plays a key role in providing diagnostic services and ...


“From landfill to innovation”: This German institute transforms mountains of single-use ... - April 3, 2025

The initiative by the Fraunhofer Institute underscores the growing importance of a circular economy in addressing climate change and resource ...


Fruit waste being used to generate electricity for lighting in new circular economy study - April 3, 2025

In the latest waste reduction and circular economy study, researchers from the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the ...


How Does a Used Galaxy Device Become a Key Part of a New One - Inside Samsung's ... - April 3, 2025

... circular economy. More specifically, the Circular Battery Supply Chain begins with collecting used Galaxy smartphones, followed by dismantling and ...


Metal and metalloid content in real urban synthetic surfaces made of recycled tire crumb rubber including playgrounds and football fields - April 3, 2025

Sci Total Environ. 2025 Apr 2;975:179267. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179267. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The disposal of end-of-life tires (ELTs) is an important issue in the context of solid waste management. In the last decades, the main recycling route consists of the ELTs transformation in crumb rubber, which is widely used worldwide in playgrounds and sports fields as infill material. Crumb rubber represents the largest source of intentional microplastics in the environment. This microplastic material contains high metal concentration including toxic and heavy metals. Few studies deal with the metal(loid) characterization of real crumb rubber samples taken in situ from sports and leisure facilities. Research is especially scarce for playgrounds, despite interest due to the population using these facilities (children). This study aims at addressing the metal(loid) distribution in a large number of real samples from different urban places, most from Galicia (NW Spain) but also from other countries. 32 elements including metals (Ag, Al, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, In, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr, Ti, Tl, U, V, Zn) and 4 metalloids (As, B, Sb, Si) were determined. For comparison purposes, some alternative materials (cork, sand, and thermoplastic elastomers) were collected. The results showed high Zn levels (1-2 %) in crumb rubber, exceeding the safety limits set in the European directives for related matrices. Heavy and toxic elements (Pb, Cr, As, Cd, Sb) were found in all samples, reaching concentrations up to 100 mg kg-1. Co presented concentrations of 200 mg kg-1, well above the safety limits (10 mg kg-1 for toys). ANOVA showed statistical differences between playgrounds and football fields for some elements. The alternative materials proved safer regarding metal(loid) content. This study is the largest one about metal(loid) characterization in crumb rubber surfaces attending the number of samples, origin, and elements analyzed.

PMID:40179745 | DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179267


Short-term effect of biologically treated sugarcane vinasse on the growth of Triticum aestivum L. (wheat) and soil properties - April 3, 2025

J Biotechnol. 2025 Apr 1:S0168-1656(25)00078-1. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2025.03.020. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Sugarcane vinasse management is one of the biggest challenges of distilleries around the world. Vinasse can be used for crop fertigation, but it requires a prior conditioning treatment. This study investigates the short-term effect of the fertigation with raw vinasse (V0) and vinasse biologically treated with the filamentous fungus Aspergillus sp. V2 (Vt) on the growth of Triticum aestivum L. (wheat), soil nutrient replenishment and soil enzyme activities. Effects of commercial chemical fertilizer (NPK) and water tap (Wt) on the parameters studied were also analyzed. The fertigation with Vt had positive effects on wheat, increasing all the plant growth parameters compared with V0, NPK and Wt. Fertigation with Vt also induced positive changes in soil with respect to the other solutions tested, favoring the replenishment of organic matter and nutrients such as potassium (K), phosphorous (P), and magnesium (Mg). Moreover, soil enzymes (particularly dehydrogenase enzyme) responded differentially to changes in the fertigation conditions tested, providing reliable information on system quality. These results demonstrate that a fungal-based pretreatment improves the vinasse properties for agricultural uses, contributing to the advance towards a bio-based circular economy.

PMID:40180291 | DOI:10.1016/j.jbiotec.2025.03.020