scholarly journals Waste transformation of plastic bags by wet polymer binding

2020 ◽  
Vol 307 ◽  
pp. 01042
Author(s):  
Tefy Raoelivololona ◽  
Mamiharijaona Ramaroson ◽  
Chrysostome Raminosoa

Since twenty years, Madagascar suffered, by the advanced level of pollution due to the proliferation of plastic bags. They are always discarded in nature and constitute an increasingly important visual and environmental pollution in cities. And because they are easily carried and deposited everywhere by the wind, it has more negative consequences on the environment and thus on the health of the population. Plastics are among the most persistent pollutants and the problem appears when they reach the waste stage. The degradation of these plastic bags requiring more than four centuries, so the search for solutions for the use of these products is very solicited to preserve the environment. That’s why our research is consecrated into the transformation of plastic bags into pavers or bricks at a lower cost. The combustion of plastics releases large quantities of thick and toxic fumes. So, to avoid this phenomenon, our so-called “wet” process consists in heating a mixture of a Rich Carbon of Waste Element (RCWE), fusing the plastic bags as a binder and adding the sand as agglomerate. We obtain a quantity of product 3 times higher than the quantity of plastic bags used (to have 60 kg of product, we need 20 kg of plastic bags) unlike the other processes providing 5 kg of product for 20 kg of plastic bags, ie the plastic is reduced by ¼. The rest of the study focused on the melting temperature of the plastic bag in the RCWE which is approximately 110° C, the proportions between the RCWE and the plastic bag for the optimization of the cost of energy : we showed that the energy is optimal for a proportion of half (100g of RCWE for 50g of plastic), the proportions between plastics and sand (binder and agglomerate) : by weight, the binder must always be less than the agglomerate (the result is optimal in the proportion of agglomerate -binder 80 -20), the mechanical behavior : the result shows that when the quantity of plastics is the higher, the maximum stress is high, but the plastic area is low. The product is among the ductile materials, the property of which a material can permanently deform before breaking (an important factor for the deformation of materials), the permeability, and the adhesion test with the rubber.

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Dahliana Hasan

This research aims to determine and analyse the categories of levies in the paid plastic bag policy in Indonesia, and its relevance to pollution levies. Based on analysis, this research comes to the following conclusion: the paid plastic bags policy in Indonesia cannot be categorised as a tax or charge. The main characteristics of taxes or charges are not contained in the policy of paid plastic bags, especially in terms of the legal relationship between the parties. Paying for plastic bags fits in much better with the general concept of a pollution levy. In the context of imposing a the cost on for consumers, the relevance of this policy to pollution-levy principles could be seen from the attainable objective, namely altering consumer behaviour through pricing. This study contributes to current global literature in the field of the use of the levy concept in the paid plastic bag policy and its relevance to pollution abatement principles.


2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 2303-2310
Author(s):  
Abderrahim Benchaib ◽  
Abdesselam Mdaa ◽  
Izeddine Zorkani ◽  
Anouar Jorio

The vanadium dioxide VO₂ currently became very motivating for the nanotechnologies’ researchers. It makes party of the intelligent materials because these optical properties abruptly change semiconductor state with metal at a critical  temperature θ = 68°C. This transition from reversible phase is carried out from a monoclinical structure characterizing its semiconductor state at low temperature towards the metal state of this material which becomes tétragonal rutile for  θ ˃ 68°C ; it is done during a few nanoseconds. Several studies were made on this material in a massive state and a thin layer. We will simulate by Maple the constant optics of a thin layer of VO₂ thickness z = 82 nm for the metal state according to the energy ω of the incidental photons in the energy interval: 0.001242 ≤ ω(ev) ≤ 6, from the infra-red (I.R) to the ultra-violet (U.V) so as to be able to control the various technological nano applications, like the detectors I.R or the U.V,  the intelligent windows to  increase  the energy efficiency in the buildings in order to save the cost of energy consumption by electric air-conditioning and the paintings containing nano crystals of this material. The constant optics, which we will simulate, is: the index of refraction, the reflectivity, the transmittivity, the coefficient of extinction, the dielectric functions ԑ₁ real part and  ԑ₂  imaginary part of the permittivity complexes ԑ of this material and the coefficient absorption. 


2020 ◽  
pp. 61-73
Author(s):  
Yu. M. Tsygalov

The forced work of Russian universities remotely in the context of the pandemic (COVID-19) has generated a lot of discussion about the benefits of the new form of education. The first results were summed up and reports were presented, the materials of which showed that the main goal of online education — the prevention of the spread of infection, - has been achieved. Against this background, proposals and publications have appeared substantiating the effectiveness of the massive introduction of distance learning in Russia, including in higher education. However, the assessment of such training by the population and students in publications and in social networks was predominantly negative and showed that the number of emerging problems exceeds the possible benefits of the new educational technology. Based on the analysis of the materials of publications and personal experience of teaching online, the potential benefits and problems of distance learning in higher education in Russia are considered. It is proposed to consider the effects separately for the suppliers of new technology (government, universities) and consumers (students, teachers, society). It is substantiated that the massive introduction of online education allows not only to reduce the negative consequences of epidemics, but also to reduce budgetary funding for universities, optimize the age composition of teachers, and reduce the cost of maintaining educational buildings. However, there will be a leveling / averaging of the quality of education, and responsibility for the quality of training will shift from the state/universities to students. The critical shortcomings of online education are the low degree of readiness of the digital infrastructure, the lack of a mechanism for identifying and monitoring the work of students, information security problems, and the lack of trust in such training of the population. The massive use of online education creates a number of risks for the country, the most critical of which is the destruction of the higher education system and a drop in the effectiveness of personnel training. The consequences of this risk realization are not compensated by any possible budget savings.


2021 ◽  
pp. 0734242X2110039
Author(s):  
Asphat Muposhi ◽  
Mercy Mpinganjira ◽  
Marius Wait

Although the ban on plastic bags is gaining in prominence as a policy option to manage plastic bag litter, there are mixed views on its rationale and effectiveness. This study employs a systematic literature review to understand considerations, benefits and unintended consequences of banning plastic bags. The review’s results pointed to the limited success of a plastic bag ban owing to lack of suitable alternatives, limited state capacity to monitor and enforce the ban, thriving black market, structural and instrumental power of the plastic industry. The power of the industry was manifested by the covert practice of deflecting accountability to consumers by focusing on business-oriented solutions, including an inclination towards self-regulation. The findings of this study underscored the need for a global treaty to address the transient nature of plastic bag litter and moving away from the symbolic gesture of targeting only plastic shopping bags but considering the environmental impact of all forms of plastic such as straws, foamed plastics, plastic bottles and caps. There is a general consensus in literature that the end of plastic shopping bags is not nigh due to their utilitarian benefits. This study therefore recommends the promotion of a circular economy focusing on ecological modernisation, sustainable plastic bag manufacturing and recovery strategies such as recycling as a long-term strategy. A significant strand of literature reviewed also recommends the adoption of community-driven approaches such as voluntary initiatives as opposed to a plastic bag ban as they proved to be effective in promoting environmental citizenship behaviours in countries such as Finland.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gbadebo Collins Adeyanju ◽  
Teslin Maria Augustine ◽  
Stefan Volkmann ◽  
Usman Adetunji Oyebamiji ◽  
Sonia Ran ◽  
...  

AbstractThe devastating impacts that bio-degradable products such as plastic bags are having on human health, wildlife, and the environment is enormous, especially single-use once. Single-use plastics are non-biodegradable products and does not undergo biological decomposition nor degenerate. This review examines various government regulations targeted at changing behaviour against plastic bags consumption and their effectiveness. Following a rigorous search in 13 databases, including PubMed, Science Direct, Springer Nature, etc. only 17 peer-reviewed journal articles that are published between 2000 and 2019 and met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Each study’s methodological quality was assessed using the GRADE system, and data were extracted using a uniquely designed form. The results revealed that regulations based solely on the thickness of plastic bags does not reduce plastic bags consumption. However, regulations focused on banning ‘single-use’ plastic bag usage, imposing higher taxes and levies on consumers, significantly reduce plastic bags consumption. Overall, the latter is considered the most effective. Also, the results show that attitude, perception and behaviour change toward bio-degradable products or climate-friendly behaviour can be significantly influenced by public policy or regulations. Although the behaviour seems short-lived in some countries, therefore further studies need to probe on why. Also, the absence of a national regulatory strategy in North America reduced the inclusion of studies from the region, hence need for more research focusing on sub-national regulations.


1980 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 256-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Ward ◽  
S. M. Khalil ◽  
B. W. Langan

As the cost of energy and hence the cost of producing Portland cement increase, the question arises as to whether we are obtaining optimum performance from the admixtures we use. As an example, data are presented indicating that a significant improvement in strength and shrinkage can be achieved by optimizing the sulfate content of the cement for given cement–admixture combinations. It is shown that the optimum SO3 is clearly a function of the initial temperature of the concrete, particularly during the first 24 h after casting, a characteristic of considerable importance in hot weather concreting and steam curing of concrete products. It is recommended that more attention be directed towards optimizing the effectiveness of chemical admixtures in both the ready-mixed concrete and precast concrete industries.


Materials ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chien-Ya Kao ◽  
Yen-Chieh Huang ◽  
Sheng-Yi Chiu ◽  
Ko-Liang Kuo ◽  
Pai-An Hwang

The addition of calcined waste clamshells (CCS) into polyethylene (PE) plastic bags imparts antibacterial properties due to the presence of CaO. In this study, different proportions of calcined waste clamshells were added to PE to explore its bacteriostatic effects. The PE plastic bags with 9% and 11% of CCS exhibited antibacterial efficacy. Further, total aerobic viable count (TVC) values for raw fish fillet packaging in 9% and 11% CCS-PE plastic bags for five days were similar to the 0% CCS-PE plastic bag group after three days of incubation. In addition, the CCS-PE plastic bag demonstrated stability against solvents when examined using the metal migration test under heptane, ethanol, and acetic acid treatments. The results revealed that the CCS-PE bag retains its CaO bacteriostatic efficacy and that the addition of CCS powder to PE prolongs the shelf life of raw fish fillets, as well as mitigating safety concerns from metal leakage.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-207
Author(s):  
Cheryl Pricilla Bensa

The plastic bag diet campaign has been carried out by many parties including government agencies, but the campaign is feared to only reach the cognitive stage, not a meaningful change in attitude. Many campaigns on the problem of plastic waste have been carried out from NGOs, the private sector, and the government, but what is wrong so as to the problem of plastic waste continues to occur? Why does the problem of plastic waste still stop at the campaign without a comprehensive behavior implementation of the community? The research method was a survey using quota sampling and descriptive. The population people in Balikpapan, Jakarta and Surabaya. The campaign to limit plastic bags can be successful if there is a synergy of the regulators; the government and NGOs, the private sector such as retailers, and the community. The related parties are expected to design a campaign in accordance with the social marketing model. Moreover, the related parties must also conduct formative research of the target behavior: the community about plastic waste and the extent to which the related parties must endeavor so that it can be known what audience benefits are most appropriate in formulating a campaign. In the implementation of social marketing, related parties have to clearly formulate the target behavior that exists so that people are not confused and have one voice. In addition, policies must also be upheld to support and maintain the results of social marketing to be sustainable. Moreover, educational and outreach programs that can change behavior about the environment will also help future generations to reduce pollution of plastic waste.


Author(s):  
Jake Barker ◽  
Bo Xia ◽  
George Zillante

There is a growing demand for sustainable retirement villages in Australia due to an increasing number of ageing population and public acceptance of sustainable development. This research aims to gain a better understanding of retirees’ understanding about sustainable retirement living and their attitudes towards sustainable developments via a questionnaire survey approach. The results showed that the current residents of retirement villages are generally very conscious of unsustainable resource consumption and would like their residences and community to be more environmentally friendly and energy efficient. The cost of energy supply is a concern to majority of respondents. However there is a certain level of concerns from residents too on the extra cost of going green in their residence. Education is required to residents about recycling household waste and how to use available facilities. A better understanding of retirees’ awareness and attitudes towards sustainability issues helps to improve the sustainable developments of retirement villages in the future.


1983 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodor D. Sterling ◽  
Elia Sterling ◽  
Helen Dimich-Ward

An increasing incidence of “building illness” is being noted among white-collar workers due to the high pollutant content of air in modern energy-efficient office buildings. These buildings are hermetically sealed, mechanically ventilated, and contain many materials that give off a variety of toxic fumes and aerosols. Severe outbreaks of illness have also been traced to ventilation problems in sealed hospital buildings. Similarly, tightly sealed and well insulated private homes present many sources of toxic pollutants to homemakers. Recent studies linking increases in the frequency and duration of respiratory illnesses with increasing pollution levels warn us that increases in indoor pollution levels should be avoided in the white-collar workplace, hospital, and private residence. Unfortunately, the cost of adequate ventilation of modern air-tight buildings is high. However, proper planning must be conducted to foresee and correct the impact of energy management policies on the livability and healthfulness of the indoor environment.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document