Recycling

20 pages, 843 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Technical Recyclability and Carbon Footprint of Packaging for Butter, Yogurt, and Spreads

by Michelle Klein, Charlotte Neumair, Manfred Tacker and Silvia Apprich

Recycling 2025, 10(2), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling10020031 - 21 Feb 2025

The adoption of the PPWR by the Council of the European Union (EU/2025/40) in 2025 intensifies the regulatory pressure on packaging manufacturers and food producers. This necessitates their adaptation of packaging to the new standards and selection of materials by various sustainability criteria and minimum standards. The legal text places particular emphasis on recyclability and the carbon footprint. The dairy industry holds significant economic importance in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland); this study therefore analyzed and compared the recyclability and carbon footprint of selected product categories and diverse packaging options for butter, yogurt, spreads, curd cheese, and cottage cheese. This study found large differences within the product categories, and also between the assessed countries, due to differing waste management systems (collection, sorting, and recycling) and waste streams. A key finding is the substantial discrepancy in glass packaging, which significantly exceeds the emission values of other packaging systems. In terms of recyclability, glass packaging performs well due to the effectiveness of the recycling systems regarding the future effective PPWR. However, significant variations in recyclability were observed between Germany and Austria for tray and cup materials made of PP and PS. Notably, there is a preference for packaging systems without a cardboard sleeve over those with one. This study provides critical insights into the environmental performance of packaging materials in the dairy sector. It highlights the challenges posed by regulatory changes and the urgent need for region-specific strategies. By identifying key areas for improvement in packaging design and waste management, this work lays the foundation for achieving compliance with the PPWR and advancing the transition toward a circular economy in the DACH region. Full article

16 pages, 7366 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Potential Applicability of Air-Cooled Ladle Furnace Slag Fine Aggregate in Concrete Production

by Jeongmin Ra, Sunmi Choi, Sangchul Shin and Jinman Kim

Recycling 2025, 10(2), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling10020030 - 20 Feb 2025

Abstract

Electric arc furnace oxidizing slag (EAFOS) represents 80% of the electric arc furnace slag generated. Recently, EAFOS has been utilized as high value-added functional aggregate in a growing number of cases for the construction of air-cooling technology that turns EAFOS into fine aggregate-sized particles by spraying it into the air using high-pressure compressed air. Ladle furnace slag (LFS) is a product of the reduction process, accounting for approximately 20% of the steel slag enerated; however, LFS is predominantly landfilled without being utilized. This is mainly because LFS changes into sludge as it is turned into powder during water spray cooling. Therefore, in this study, spherical particles cooled at room temperature were fabricated as fine aggregates using LFS by applying atomization technology that uses high-pressure air in the molten state for the value-added utilization of LFS. Various experiments were performed to examine whether this aggregate can be used as a construction material. The experimental results showed that the air-cooled LFS (ALFS) fine aggregate generated from two different processes met the physical and chemical properties of the fine aggregate required for concrete despite its slightly lower spherical ratio compared to EAFOS aggregate. The volumetric stability experiment results also showed that ALFS fine aggregate is more stable than river sand and standard sand. In addition, the autoclave test results revealed that the mortar produced using ALFS fine aggregate was more stable for expansion than that of comparison groups. These results confirm the applicability of ALFS as an aggregate for construction. However, because the pop-out phenomenon caused by MgO was observed on the surface of some specimens, further research is required for improvement. Full article

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20 pages, 3054 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Extended Sector Responsibility—The Tourism Sector as a Driver for Improved Waste Management in Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia

by Julian Wiechert, Nour El Houda Chaher, Gasser Hassan, Abdallah Nassour and Michael Nelles

Recycling 2025, 10(2), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling10020029 - 20 Feb 2025

Abstract

The world is facing climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, significantly impacting lower-middle-income countries like Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia, which depend heavily on tourism. Poor waste management, unclear responsibilities, and weak policies contribute to environmental degradation. Tourism, a key economic driver, also increases the problem by high plastic use and waste generation during peak seasons. This study evaluates current waste management practices in Alexandria (Egypt), Essaouira (Morocco), and Hammam Sousse (Tunisia) and proposes improvements using a newly developed “Extended Sector Responsibility” (ESR) model, which introduces an innovative organizational approach to waste management in touristic destinations. Using a combination of desk research, questionnaires, waste sorting analyses, and expert interviews, our research identifies systemic deficiencies. None of the studied locations have formal source separation systems, and waste management heavily depends on the informal sector. Hotels exhibit limited capacity for effective waste practices due to the lack of municipal infrastructure for separate collection. Economic analysis of the ESR model, which involves the establishment of a new waste recovery facility, demonstrates that while such facilities can generate revenue exceeding operational costs under specific scenarios, their long-term viability hinges on additional funding, possibly through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mechanisms. Although Egypt and Tunisia have EPR legislation, implementation remains inadequate, and Morocco lacks such frameworks. The study emphasizes the critical need for investments in municipal waste management infrastructure, including logistics, sorting, and recycling systems. It also highlights actionable opportunities for the tourism sector to reduce waste by minimizing single-use plastics and food waste. By adopting the ESR model, the tourism sector can play a pivotal role in transitioning to a circular economy, ultimately mitigating environmental impacts and enhancing sustainability in the region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Waste Management Scenario Design and Sustainability Assessment)

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Recycling, Volume 10, Issue 2 (April 2025) – 3 articles

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