Evolutionary Game Analysis on Behavioral Strategies of Government and Residents in Municipal Household Waste Separation

Municipal household waste (MHW) separation is a fundamental way to achieve waste reduction and a recycling economy. This study takes the positions of government and residents in MHW separation as the research object, and aims to explore the change process and influencing factors of their decision-making behavior, which is of great significance to attract residents to participate in MHW separation and establish an effective MHW separation mechanism to solve MHW pollution. This paper firstly establishes an evolutionary game model between government and residents in MHW separation; secondly, the payoff matrix of the system is determined, and the replication dynamic equations under different constraints are calculated to obtain the evolutionary stability strategy of the system, and the stability conditions are analyzed; Finally, through numerical simulation, the decision-making behavior of MHW separation and its influencing factors are studied, and the rationality of the model is verified. The results show that: (1) In the process of MHW separation, residents often choose not to separate without government regulation; (2) Environmental fee rates and government effort have great impacts on residents’ decision-making behavior; (3) The increase of penalty intensity can significantly drive residents to separate MHW; (4) The sensitivity of residents’ behavior decision to subsidy coefficient is the lowest among all the variables, and the incentive effect of increasing subsidy coefficient is not obvious. The research results can not only provide theoretical guidance for policy makers to develop waste management policies, but also provide valuable insights for local communities to guide residents’ MHW separation behavior.

Quantifying economic activity in the informal recycling sector in South Africa

Informal waste reclaimers are a key part of South Africa’s recycling economy, being responsible for around 51% of all paper and packaging waste collected in South Africa in 2017. Active in the waste and recycling landscape for more than three decades, their activity predates the earliest voluntary paper and packaging Extended Producer Responsibility schemes. However, these voluntary schemes have been instrumental in scaling South Africa’s recycling economy. Investment by brand owners, retailers, converters and recyclers has helped develop local end-use markets, creating a demand for paper and packaging recyclables and a resultant increase in their collection. An analysis of tonnage and price data shows that the mean estimate of money paid by the private sector to the informal waste sector through the purchase of recyclables at intermediaries such as buy-back centres, was ZAR625 million in 2012, increasing to ZAR872 million in 2017. This private sector ‘investment’ in the local recycling economy has led to direct and indirect job creation and improved livelihoods, particularly for a large, well-established and effective informal waste sector, and has indirectly funded municipal waste diversion strategies, saving municipalities in both the collection and disposal of waste.

The circular economy in the agro-zootechnical industry

The excessive acquisition and the careless usage of the food and non-food products in the recent years have led to the result of a huge amount of waste, which in time has become a real problem at a global level. In order to solve this issue rapidly and efficiently, the researchers have been forced to find prompt, vast, efficient and inexpensive solutions. The aim of this paper is to emphasise the importance and the benefits of the circular economy as a possibility to be applied in the agro-zootechnical sector. Opposing the linear economy and the recycling economy, the circular economy has the main objective of reducing the waste to minimum, expecting even a `zero waste`.

Organic Petrographical Features of Fly Ashes Originating from Coal and Coal-SRF Co-Combustion

In this study, the features of fly ashes originating from industrial-scale high volatile bituminous coal combustion and co-combustion of coal with 10% admixture of alternative fuel SRF (solid recovered fuel) are presented, with emphasis on the organic petrographical characteristics. The organic petrographical and mineralogical data are co-evaluated with geochemical data, with the aim to provide a full classification of the studied fly ashes, as well as base information toward any potential application of this waste material, according to the recycling economy principles. By applying organic petrographical methods, the assignment of the carbon-rich residuals to the respective feed fuel, either coal or SRF, can be achieved. The obtained quantitative evaluation provides useful information regarding the combustion conditions in the stoker boiler. The analyzed fly ashes contain significant C-residuals, mostly in the form of fused, dense, and anisotropic particles, while the enrichment in sooty particles is caused due to the addition of SRF fuel. In conjunction with the moderate-low content of potential hazardous elements, the features of the contained C-residual phases suggest that these fly ashes could possibly be the subject of further studies for their applicability as soil improvements.

Discussion on the Construction and Application of Navigation Electronic Map Quality Inspection Sample Database

In order to improve the scientificity and efficiency of quality inspection of navigation electronic map, and save the cost of quality inspection, it is necessary to establish the national navigation electronic map quality inspection sample database. In this paper, the construction goal, data acquisition technology process, and database construction method of navigation electronic map quality inspection sample database are described in detail, and the construction content and technical indicators are discussed. The quality test is carried out by combining the in-house verification with the field comparison of the navigation electronic map quality test sample database, and the test results are analyzed and evaluated. The effective application of the sample database in the quality test and evaluation of the internet navigation electronic map in the pilot area is carried out. At the same time, the application of navigation electronic map quality inspection sample database in the research of urban fine management and solid waste recycling economy ecological park planning is prospected.

Based on the multi-level optimization model of remanufacturing and pricing balance strategy research under TIFR subsidy in China

Remanufacturing is one of the most effective forms of the recycling economy, and the “Trade-in for Remanufacturing” (TIFR) program in China plays an important role in the development of remanufacturing. To understand this new business model of remanufacturing, the price and demand relationship of the NP and RP are examined in two periods, considering TIFR subsidy which is in practice in China. Comparing integrated optimization scheme and tiered optimization scheme, this paper then researches the pricing strategy with TIFR subsidy respectively, as multi-object optimization is employed in the latter scheme. Tiered optimization pricing is found to improve the old customer’s TIFR enthusiasm, balance the remanufacturing system and work better with TIFR subsidy through numerical experiments. This paper studies the impacts of subsidy rate, receptiveness to RP, and the mixture of them, then verifies the proposed model and gives an inspiration to the management of the new remanufacturing business model about TIFR subsidy.

Waste Management in Green and Smart Cities: A Case Study of Russia

This article aims to investigate the role of waste management in the development of modern green and smart cities and to determine the existence of several key points in programs transforming cities into green cities with smart technologies. The relevance of the research is determined by the need to develop a theoretical and methodological basis for the green and smart city concepts. The research process involved the following methods: Scientific analysis, comparison, and synthesis. The research results of the case study of Russia determined that for urban territories with great distances between urban districts, waste sorting stations should be located as parts of so-called waste recycling complexes at intermunicipal landfills. This will allow a more fully implementation of the concept of recycling economy not only in Russian cities, but also in other cities with sparse populations across the world. Further, the authors conclude that the effectiveness of green technologies in modern cities, especially in waste management, depends on the level of participation of citizens. People are active participants in the life processes of cities and have a direct impact on the urban environment. Consequently, the introduction of green technologies can only be achieved in harmony with the well-established behavioral attitudes of city residents together with the implementation of green and smart urban technologies.