A cross-jurisdictional comparison on residential waste collection rates during earlier waves of COVID-19.

There is currently a lack of studies on residential waste collection during COVID-19 in North America. SARIMA models were developed to predict residential waste collection rates (RWCR) across four North American jurisdictions before and during the pandemic. Unlike waste disposal rates, RWCR is relatively less sensitive to the changes in COVID-19 regulatory policies and administrative measures, making RWCR more appropriate for cross-jurisdictional comparisons. It is hypothesized that the use of RWCR in forecasting models will help us to better understand the residential waste generation behaviors in North America. Both SARIMA models performed satisfactorily in predicting Regina's RWCR. The SARIMA DCV model's performance is noticeably better during COVID-19, with a 15.7% lower RMSE than that of the benchmark model (SARIMA BCV). The skewness of overprediction ratios was noticeably different between jurisdictions, and modeling errors were generally lower in less populated cities. Conflicting behavioral changes might have altered the residential waste generation characteristics and recycling behaviors differently across the jurisdictions. Overall, SARIMA DCV performed better in the Canadian jurisdiction than in U.S. jurisdictions, likely due to the model's bias on a less variable input dataset. The use of RWCR in forecasting models helps us to better understand the residential waste generation behaviors in North America and better prepare us for a future global pandemic.

Carbon Dioxide Monitoring in Refuse Collection Vehicle Cabins to Reduce the Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Airborne Transmission

During the COVID-19 pandemic, essential workers such as waste collection crews continued to provide services in the UK, but due to their small size, maintaining social distancing inside waste collection vehicle cabins is impossible. Ventilation in cabins of 11 vehicles operating in London was assessed by measuring air supply flow rates and carbon dioxide (CO2) in the driver's cabin, a proxy for exhaled breath. The indoor CO2 indicated that air quality in the cabins was mostly good throughout a working day. However, short episodes of high CO2 levels above 1500 ppm did occur, mainly at the beginning of a shift when driving towards the start of their collection routes. This data indicated that the ventilation systems on the vehicles were primarily recirculating air and the fresh air supply made up only 10-20 % of the total airflow. Following recommendations to partly open windows during shifts and to maintain ventilation systems, a second monitoring campaign was carried out, finding on average, an improvement in ventilation on board the vehicles. © 2022 17th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, INDOOR AIR 2022. All rights reserved.

SOCIOECONOMIC BIASES: ANALYSIS OF POPULAR PERCEPTION ABOUT SANITARY SEWAGE SERVICES IN PERNAMBUCO

Objetivo: Este artigo objetivou realizar um levantamento sobre o saber popular acerca do serviço de esgotamento sanitário em municípios do estado de Pernambuco. Referencial teórico: Correspondeu a buscas na literatura científica, na legislação e em normas e dados técnicos de pesquisa social e de saneamento básico. Método: Devido à pandemia da Covid-19, a pesquisa foi feita de forma virtual, com o compartilhamento de um questionário eletrônico via mensagens de e-mail e de WhatsApp. Foi realizado o cruzamento das respostas da pesquisa com a qualificação dos participantes segundo os parâmetros do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. Os dados foram confrontados com normativas e pesquisas científicas existentes sobre o tema. Resultados e conclusão: Foram consideradas as respostas de 251 participantes. Apesar de apenas nove terem formação acadêmica até o Ensino Fundamental, sendo esses moradores de bairros de baixa renda, observou-se que esse foi o grupo que mais lida com os problemas decorrentes da falta de saneamento básico, mais especificamente o esgotamento sanitário. Com isso, foi possível apontar as populações de comunidades mais carentes como o público mais prejudicado pelos problemas causados pela inexistência do sistema de esgotamento sanitário. Por fim, foram formuladas estratégias resolutivas para os problemas ora identificados. Implicações da pesquisa: Foi evidenciado que a participação social na formulação e na execução de serviços fundamentais à população como o saneamento básico é de suma importância para a sua eficácia. Originalidade/valor: Contribui, principalmente, no tocante à proposição de iniciativas estratégicas para a resolução das problemáticas decorrentes do mau funcionamento e/ou uso dos serviços de saneamento básico.Alternate abstract:Purpose: This article aimed to know the popular knowledge about sanitary sewage in relation to the socioeconomic profile of the participants. Theoretical framework: Corresponds to searches in scientific literature, legislation and standards and technical data on social research and basic sanitation. Method/design/approach: Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the survey was carried out virtually, with the sharing of an electronic questionnaire via email and WhatsApp messages. The survey responses were crossed with the qualifications of the participants according to the parameters of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The data were confronted with regulations and existing scientific research on the subject. Results and conclusion: The responses of 251 participants were considered. Although only nine had academic training up to Elementary School, these being residents of low-income neighbourhoods, it was observed that this was the group that most deals with the problems arising from the lack of basic sanitation, more specifically sanitary sewage. With this, it was possible to point out the populations of the poorest communities as the public most affected by the problems caused by the lack of a sanitary sewage system. Finally, resolving strategies were formulated for the problems now identified. Research implications: It mainly contributes with regard to the proposition of strategic initiatives to solve problems arising from the malfunction and/or use of basic sanitation services. Originality/value: It mainly contributes with regard to the proposition of strategic initiatives to solve problems arising from the malfunction and/or use of basic sanitation services.

Packaging plastic waste management in the cosmetic industry

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the relationship between the various variables present in the packaging plastic waste management system in the cosmetics industry.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, the authors deal with plastic packaging waste in the cosmetic industry with the help of system dynamics. The model broadly divides the system into six sections – Cosmetic Packaging, Waste Generation, Waste Collected, Waste Sorted, Waste Treated and Waste Dumped. Businesses have been investing in each section depending on their progress and targets. The authors are looking at case studies of two leading cosmetic brands, L'Oréal and L'Occitane en Provence, to validate the industry practices against our model.FindingsFrom a business perspective, using the case study methodology for L'Oréal and L'Occitane, the authors inferred that out of the various investment vehicles available, companies are targeting technological advancement and third-party collaborations as they have the potential to offer the greatest visible change. However, most of these investments are going toward the treatment subsection. Still, there is a scope for improvement in the collection and sorting subsystems, increasing the efficiency of the whole chain.Originality/valueThere has been a lot of research on packaging plastic waste management in the past, but only a few of them focused on the cosmetic industry. This study aims to connect all the possible variables involved in the cosmetic industry's packaging plastic waste management system and provide a clear output variable for various businesses looking to manage their packaging waste because of their products efficiently.

Insights on the current status of effective strategies for waste management in COVID-19 pandemic: challenges and opportunities

A large number of people got infected and many lost their lives due to COVID-19. The increased volume and source-shuffling of the waste generated during the pandemic have challenged the current waste management facilities. The major sources of infectious waste not only include hospitals but also houses and quarantine facilities that lack in source-management thereby increasing the spread of the virus. This article focuses on waste collection and disposal techniques as major aspects of COVID-19 waste management. Also, it discusses the various waste disinfection technologies along with waste management strategies formulated by different organisations. The non-pharmaceutical intervention strategies have also been identified. Alongside this, various challenges and opportunities in COVID-19 waste management are reviewed. Accordingly, recommendations to achieve efficient waste management are stated. Waste management in case of such a pandemic requires proper segregation, storage, collection and treatment. Usage of multiple processes like pyrolysis, chemical treatment, microwave and radio wave is needed to be found for treatment of infectious waste. Increased amount of mixed waste creates the need to have method that is flexible enough. Large amount of PPE waste needs to be taken care of. Development of materials that can provide hygiene and have recyclability is essential. © 2023 Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Biodegradable waste collection systems

The collection and management of biodegradable waste, as one of the basic streams of municipal waste, is a global problem. The topic of this chapter concerns the principles of used bio-waste collection systems. This is a group of waste with specific properties and the resulting very large potential for an enclosed economy. Basic collection systems have been discussed together with their logistics and types and construction of the bio-pad containers used, while also considering the characteristics of biodegradable packaging. Special attention was paid to the need for waste segregation and selective collection and the resulting economic and environmental benefits. Performances used practice ways to manage bio-waste, with particular emphasis on biological methods, including composting and anaerobic fermentation. Examples of applied systems in the world collection of waste were presented in relation to the methods of their management. Also raised was a very current issue of the impact of the current global pandemic Covid-19 on the principle of collection and management of waste during the health crisis. It emphasized the importance of a comprehensive public education through information campaigns and training and the need for a clear legal mechanism in the field of selective collection of waste, including biodegradable waste. © 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

ELECTRONIC WASTE IN BRAZIL: GENERATION, COLLECTION, RECYCLING AND THE COVID PANDEMIC

Brazil is one of the main producers of e-waste in the world, but its waste management system does not encourage a circular economy. The country lacks reliable data on important metrics such as rates of collection and recycling and the destination of resources. There has been a slow regulatory progress, but it is not possible to measure its effectiveness without the aforementioned data. We obtained primary data to bridge this information gap by mapping and interviewing e-waste recyclers in Brazil. The mapping identified 140 recyclers, of which 82 were confirmed. Their geographical distribution closely matches the demographics. The COVID-19 pandemic did not have a severe impact on the country’s e-waste recycling chain. We have been able to estimate that Brazil recycles about 1.6kt of e-waste per month (77kt per year), based on the amount of waste processed, which is only 3.6% of the total e-waste generated. There is an uneven size distribution among e-waste recyclers;most (51.4%) are small facilities processing ≤10t per month. Large facilities (processing ≥100t per month) are in the minority (11.4%), yet they are responsible for processing 70.5%. These large facilities have the most advanced and automated processes, while the small facilities rely mainly on manual tools to dismantle the incoming e-waste. Despite observing an increase in more advanced processes, there has also been an increase in the number of facilities that export material (mainly to the USA and Europe). Therefore, Brazil is still unable to recover valuable end-materials from the recycling chain (e.g. gold, silver, rare earth elements), but seems to be supplying a more valuable product to international buyers who will, in turn, recover these end-materials.

A dynamic location-arc routing optimization model for electric waste collection vehicles

Waste collection management plays a crucial role in controlling pandemic outbreaks. Electric waste collection systems and vehicles can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of sanitary processes in municipalities worldwide. The waste collection routing optimization involves designing routes to serve all customers with the least number of vehicles, total traveling distance, and time considering the vehicle capacity. This paper proposes a dynamic location-arc routing optimization model for electric waste collection vehicles. The proposed model suggests an optimal routing plan for the waste collection vehicles and determines the optimal locations of the charging stations, dynamic charging arcs, and waste collection centers. A genetic algorithm and grey wolf optimizer are used to solve the large-sized random generated NP-hard location-arc routing problems. We present a case study for the city of Edmonton in Canada and show the grey wolf optimizer outperforms the genetic algorithm. We further demonstrate the total number of waste collection centers, charging stations, and arcs for dynamic charging needed to ensure a minimum required service for electric vehicles throughout Edmonton's entire waste collection system.

Microbial contamination in waste collection: Unveiling this Portuguese occupational exposure scenario.

Previous studies anticipated that microorganisms and their metabolites in waste will increase as a consequence of a decreased collection frequency and due to differences in what kind of waste is bagged before collection leading to an increased exposure of workers handling the waste. This study aim was to investigate the microbial contamination present in the waste collection trucks (WCT) and in the support facilities (waste collection station - WCS). It was applied a multi-approach protocol using active (air sampling by impingement and impaction) and passive (surface swabs, electrostatic dust cloths and settled dust) sampling methods. The screening of azole-resistance, the investigation of mycotoxins and the assessment of the elicited biological responses in vitro were also carried out aiming recognizing the possible health effects of waste collection drivers. SARS-CoV-2 detection was also performed. In WCS only air samples had contamination in all the four sampling sites (canteen, operational removal core, operational removal center, and administrative service). Among all the analyzed matrices from the WCT a higher percentage of total bacterial counts and Gram-was detected in swabs (66.93%; 99.36%). In WCS the most common species were Penicillium sp. (43.98%) and Cladosporium sp. (24.68%), while on WCT Aspergillus sp. (4.18%) was also one of the most found. In the azole resistance screening Aspergillus genera was not observed in the azole-supplemented media. SARS-CoV-2 was not detected in any of the environmental samples collected, but Aspergillus section Fumigati was detected in 5 samples. Mycotoxins were not detected in EDC from WCS, while in WCT they were detected in filters (N = 1) and in settled dust samples (N = 16). In conclusion, our study reveals that a comprehensive sampling approach using active and passive sampling (e.g. settled dust sampling for a representative mycotoxin evaluation) and combined analytic methods (i.e., culture-based and molecular) is an important asset in microbial exposure assessments. Concerning the waste collection exposure scenario, the results of this study unveiled a complex exposure, particularly to fungi and their metabolites. Aspergillus section Fumigati highlight the significance of targeting this section in the waste management industry as an indicator of occupational health risk.

A novel cooperative model in the collection of infectious waste in COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeProduction of waste has been increased exponentially due to world industrialization and urban and machine life expansion. On the other hand, the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus quickly became a global crisis. This crisis has added a large amount of waste to urban waste. The purpose of this study is to create cooperation between municipal waste collector contractors.Design/methodology/approachThus, a mathematical model is proposed under uncertain conditions, which includes the volume of municipal waste and infectious waste including personal protective equipment and used equipment for patients. To reduce total costs, the results are evaluated with four cooperative game theory methods such as Shapley value, t value, core center and least core. Ultimately, the saved cost by cooperation in each coalition is allocated fairly among the contractors. Finally, a comparison was made between the solution methods based on the value of the objective function and the solution time.FindingsThe results indicate that the proposed cooperative method increases cost savings and reduces the fine of residual waste. Therefore, it can be mentioned that this kind of cooperation would finally result in more incentives for contractors to form larger coalitions. Genetic algorithms were used to solve the large-scale model.Originality/valueThe proposed model boosts the current understanding of waste management in the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper adds additional value by unveiling some key future research directions. This guidance may demonstrate possible existing and unexplored gaps so that researchers can direct future research to develop new processes.

Streamlining the Municipal Waste Management System in the City of Nitra (Slovak Republic) Based on a Public Survey

The main problems of the city of Nitra (Slovak Republic) in the field of municipal waste management include: 1. High production of municipal waste per capita;2. Low rate of its separation;3. High landfill rate;4. No opportunity for composting;5. Establishment of illegal landfills in the city;6. Low waste prevention rate. To identify the attitudes and opinions of the respondents, and to evaluate certain behavioural practices of the inhabitants of Nitra in the management of municipal solid waste, we used a structured questionnaire (realized in 2020). The results of the questionnaire correspond to the behaviour of 4911 inhabitants of the city (6.46%). This paper evaluates the respondents’ answers, which could be utilised by the local government—not only for a more appropriate setting of municipal waste management and separation, but also in waste prevention and monitoring changes in the consumer behaviour of city residents. The degree of separation in individual housing construction (IHC) and complex housing construction (CHC) was statistically evaluated and compared separately. For paper and glass, a higher degree of separation was reflected in CHC;while conversely, households living in CHC avoided bio-waste and kitchen waste more than IHC households. The most common reason for not participating in the separate collection was the lack of collection containers, the distance of containers from their households, or the low frequency of their collection. The results of the questionnaire show the need for more rigorous education about waste generation, its proper separation, and its prevention.

Impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on waste production behavior in Lisbon.

The recent restrictions on mobility and economic activities imposed by governments due to the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly affected waste production and recycling patterns in cities worldwide. This effect differed both between cities and within cities as the measures of confinement adopted by governments had diverse impacts in different areas of cities, depending on their characteristics (e.g., touristic, or residential). In the present work, mixed waste collection areas were created, based on waste collection points, that define spatial units in which contextual data such as tourism and residential characteristics were aggregated. The difference in mixed waste collected compared with previous years was analyzed along with the impacts on recycling due to the modification in operations regarding waste collection during the lockdown. The results showed that despite the suspension of the door-to-door recycling system during the lockdown, this did not translate into an increase in the production of mixed waste, and the recycling levels of previous years have not been reached after the lockdown, indicating a possible change in recycling habits in Lisbon. The touristic and non-residential mixed waste circuits presented significantly reduced mixed waste production compared to the non-pandemic context. Also, tourist, mobility, and economic activity were measured to understand which factors contributed to waste production changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. While little evidence of a relationship with these exogenous variables was found at the citywide level, evidence was found at the waste collection circuit level.

Identification of behaviour patterns in waste collection and disposal during the first wave of COVID-19 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

The novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) has had significant impacts on almost every aspect of daily life. From 'stay-at-home' orders to the progressive lifting of restrictions, the COVID-19 pandemic has had unprecedented effects on consumer behaviours and waste disposal habits. The purpose of this short communication is to examine time series waste collection and disposal data in a mid-sized Canadian city to understand how behavioural changes have affected municipal waste management. The results suggest that private waste disposal increased during the pandemic. This may be due to people doing home renovations in order to accommodate working from home. Furthermore, it appears that changes in consumer habits destabilized the consistency of waste disposal tonnage when compared to the same time period in 2019. When considering curbside residential waste collection, there was also an increase in tonnage. This may be the result of more waste being generated at home due to changes in eating and cooking habits, and cleaning routine. Finally, the ratio of residential waste collection to total disposal is examined. More residential waste is being generated, which may have environmental and operational effects, especially related to collection and transportation. The results from this study are important from an operational perspective, and will help planners and policy makers to better prepare for changes in the waste stream due to pandemics or other emergencies.

Exposure risk assessment of the municipal waste collection activities during COVID-19 pandemic.

An increasing amount of waste concurrently further extends the risk of exposure to hazardous material among waste collectors. In light of the COVID-19 crisis, municipal waste collectors are one of the most at-risk groups of SARS-Cov-2 exposure. Risk assessment included hazard identification, evaluation of existing control level at the workplace, estimation of likelihood and severity of hazard, risk determination, and control measure recommendations. Five waste collection activities were identified and reviewed. High-risk exposure includes collection of garbage, mechanical manipulation of compactor lorries and unloading of garbage at the disposal site. There is poor practice of personal hygiene and unestablished continuous monitoring of personal protective equipment supplies. The preventive measures in the waste collection industry are influenced by several factors. Until the preventive measures are adopted into practice and adapted according to each company's requirements, biological agents continue to be risk factor to the health workers.