scholarly journals Testing the Applicability of the Safe-by-Design Concept: A Theoretical Case Study Using Polymer Nanoclay Composites for Coffee Capsules

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 13951
Author(s):  
Anna Pavlicek ◽  
Florian Part ◽  
Sabine Gressler ◽  
Gloria Rose ◽  
André Gazsó ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Stage ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Material Flow Analysis ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Early Integration ◽  
Chemical Risk Assessment ◽  
Safe By Design

The production and use of engineered nanomaterials and nano-enabled products is increasing, enabling innovations in many application areas, e.g., in the sector of food contact materials. However, nanosafety-relevant information for chemical risk assessment is still scarce, leading to a high level of uncertainty and making the early integration of safety to the innovation process indispensable. This study analyzed the strengths, weaknesses, and applicability of the nano-specific Safe-by-Design (SbD) concept using nanoclay-containing polymer coffee capsules as a theoretical case study. In addition, a material flow analysis was conducted to identify exposure pathways and potential risks, and a multi-stakeholder approach was applied to discursively discuss challenges when attempting to combine safety and innovation at an early stage. The results indicate that the SbD concept is generally welcomed by all stakeholders, but there is a lack of clear rules on the transfer of information between the actors involved. Furthermore, a voluntary, practical application usually requires in-depth knowledge of nanotechnology and often additional financial efforts. Therefore, incentives need to be created, as there is currently no obvious added value from a company’s point of view. The SbD concept should be further developed, standardized, and integrated into existing legal frameworks to be implemented effectively.

scholarly journals Iranian Steel Industry: Domination of Dispersed Direct Reduction Plants in an Inefficient Value Chain and a Droughty Environment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sepehr Ghazinoory ◽  
Mehdi Fatemi ◽  
Abolfazl Adab
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Steel Industry ◽  
Material Flow ◽  
Steel Ingot ◽  
Direct Reduction ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Material Flow Analysis ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Easy Access

Abstract Iran has a great advantage in the development of the steel industry due to its access to mineral resources and energy, extensive consumer market, and low-cost labor. In this article, the Iranian steel value chain in 2014-2016 is studied using the value chain analysis and material flow analysis. Accordingly, based on the statistics related to the input and output of each echelon in the chain, the material flow is analyzed throughout the value chain. Then the total added value from the chain, the share of different stages, and the various costs in each echelon are calculated. According to the research findings, weakness in the development of transportation infrastructure and poor geographical distribution of value chain units has led to the deviation of production from nominal capacity and frequent imports/exports throughout the chain. On the other hand, the upstream industries have a permanent advantage that deeply roots in easy access to the minerals and lower costs in transportation and energy. Finally, the pricing of intermediate products based on the ratio of steel ingot prices is criticized, while wage conversion and commodity purification contracts are proposed as possible solutions for the reduction of overhead costs.

Food Waste Reduction Towards Food Sector Sustainability

2021 ◽  
pp. 534-557
Author(s):  
Giovanni Lagioia ◽  
Vera Amicarelli ◽  
Teodoro Gallucci ◽  
Christian Bux
Keyword(s):  
Food Production ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Material Flow Analysis ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Potato Industry ◽  
European Level ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
Input And Output ◽  
Total Food

FAO estimates on average more than 1.3 billion tons of food loss and waste (FLW) along the whole food supply chain (equivalent to one-third of total food production) of which more than 670 million tons in developed countries and approximately 630 million tons in developing ones, showing wide differences between countries. In particular, EU data estimates an amount of more than 85 million tons of FLW, equal to approximately 20% of total food production. This research presents two main goals. First, to review the magnitude of FLW at a global and European level and its environmental, social and economic implications. Second, use Material Flow Analysis (MFA) to support and improve FLW management and its application in an Italian potato industry case study. According to the case study presented, MFA has demonstrated the advantages of tracking input and output to prevent FLW and how they provide economic, social, and environmental opportunities.

Material flow analysis (MFA) of an eco-economic system: a case study of Wujin District, Changzhou, China

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heping Huang ◽  
Jun Bi ◽  
Xiangmei Li ◽  
Bing Zhang ◽  
Jie Yang
Keyword(s):  
Economic System ◽  
Material Flow ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Material Flow Analysis ◽  
System A

Material flow analysis as a tool for sustainable sanitation planning in developing countries: case study of Arba Minch, Ethiopia

2009 ◽  
Vol 59 (10) ◽  
pp. 1911-1920 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Meinzinger ◽  
K. Kröger ◽  
R. Otterpohl
Keyword(s):  
Technology Implementation ◽  
Material Flow ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Material Flow Analysis ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Urine Diversion ◽  
Sanitation Systems ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Faecal Sludge

Material Flow Analysis is a method that can be used to assess sanitation systems with regard to their environmental impacts. Modelling water and nutrients flows of the urban water, wastewater and waste system can highlight risks for environmental pollution and can help evaluating the potential for linking sanitation with resource recovery and agricultural production. This study presents the results of an analysis of nitrogen and phosphorus flows of Arba Minch town in South Ethiopia. The current situation is modelled and possible scenarios for upgrading the town's sanitation system are assessed. Two different scenarios for nutrient recovery are analysed. Scenario one includes co-composting municipal organic waste with faecal sludge from pit latrines and septic tanks as well as the use of compost in agriculture. The second scenario based on urine-diversion toilets includes application of urine as fertiliser and composting of faecal matter. In order to allow for variations in the rate of adoption, the model can simulate varying degrees of technology implementation. Thus, the impact of a step-wise or successive approach can be illustrated. The results show that significant amounts of plant nutrients can be provided by both options, co-composting and urine diversion.

scholarly journals Method for Quantifying Supply and Demand of Construction Minerals in Urban Regions—A Case Study of Hanoi and Its Hinterland

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 4358
Author(s):  
Georg Schiller ◽  
Tamara Bimesmeier ◽  
Anh T.V. Pham
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Material Flow Analysis ◽  
Resource Efficiency ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Urban Structures

Urbanization is a global trend: Since 2007 more than 50% of the world’s population have been living in urban areas, and rates of urbanization are continuing to rise everywhere. This growth in urbanization has led to an increased demand for natural resources, in particular non-metallic minerals such as stones, sand and clay, which account for one third of the entire flow of materials. Generally, these materials are traded within regional markets. This close geographical link between the demand for building materials in urban areas and the material supply in the hinterland leads to massive interventions in the natural environment and landscape. These urban–rural linkages can be revealed by applying Material Flow Analysis (MFA) to the built environment in order to trace the flows of building materials. The objective of this paper is to present a method for quantifying regional material flows by considering the supply and demand of building materials. This will be applied to the Vietnamese case study area of Hanoi and its hinterland province Hoa Binh. The results indicate a consumption of almost 60% of the construction mineral reserves in total secured by planning in the hinterland province considering a period of 15 years. However, this does not allow for the general conclusion that raw materials are sufficiently available. The sand reservoirs are only sufficient for eight years and clay reserves are used up after four years. This increases the need to exploit further raw material reserves, which are becoming increasingly scarce and results in stronger interventions in nature In order to safeguard the hinterland from the negative impacts of urbanization, a new understanding of resource efficiency is needed—one that acknowledges both resource efficiency in the construction of urban structures and appropriate resource conservation in the provision of the raw materials from the hinterland. This will require the creation of new integrated planning approaches between urban and regional planning authorities. Regional MFA is one way of realising such an approach.

scholarly journals Waste Management Study In The Archipelago Tourism Area (Case Study: Nusa Penida District, Bali Province, Indonesia)

2020 ◽  
Vol 148 ◽  
pp. 05002 ◽  
Author(s):  
I Made Wahyu Widyarsana ◽  
Elprida Agustina
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Material Flow ◽  
Organic Waste ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Material Flow Analysis ◽  
Management Problem ◽  
The Public ◽  
Livestock Feed ◽  
Local Residents

The aim of this paper is to identify patterns of waste management in the Bali archipelago tourism area. The Nusa Penida District is a new tourism destination located in the Southeast of Bali. In 2018, there were average 391,071 tourists/day coming and 45,520 local residents live in this area. The total amount of waste produced in Nusa Penida District is 15.90 tonnes/day or 173.61 m3/day. High tourist activities have not been handled by a good waste management. Questionnaires were distributed randomly to the public and tourists to find out the pattern of waste management. Observation also conducted to build the material flow analysis as a waste information baseline. Around 48.21% organic waste used as livestock feed and 8.45% dumped carelessly to the environment. Around 32.51% anorganic waste be burnt and 45.68% waste dumped carelessly. Moreover, Nusa Penida District facing offering waste management problem caused by their cultural activities. In total, around 8.82 tonnes/day waste is dumped in landfills and total unmanaged waste around 6.73 tonnes/day.

scholarly journals (Im-)material flow analysis framework implementation on repair and reuse initiatives

2020 ◽  
Vol 108 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Gobert ◽  
Romain Allais
Keyword(s):  
Material Flow ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Material Flow Analysis ◽  
Spatiotemporal Analysis ◽  
Temporal Analysis ◽  
Local Initiatives ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Stakeholder Network ◽  
Multi Scales

This research aims at understanding better the nature of stakeholders’ resistance to and interest in repair and reuse. In fact, the authors assume that in the future waste management could be less centralized using a network of territorialized initiatives based on repair and reuse activities with high social and environmental values. Such system innovation requires tools and methods to support analysis and facilitate decision-making in multi-stakeholders, multi-scales systems. The framework for spatiotemporal analysis of territorial projects considers a project’s stakeholder network and the way they mobilize resources. These resources may be tangible or intangible, brought by individuals, organizations or even the territory. This communication focuses on the implementation of such an analysis in the community of communes Coeur de Savoie, to understand how local initiatives emerge and on which interactions and resources they are based. This paper proposes feedback on the implementation of the spatio-temporal analysis in one case study (Coeur de Savoie), and provides insights to build new networks promoting reuse and repair.

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