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This multidisciplinary study aims to analyse how the urban waste management system has changed in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, during the decade in which a single regional regulatory unit, the Emilia-Romagna Territorial Agency for Water and Waste Services (ATERSIR), was established and became operational, and the waste management planning was centralized at regional level. Particularly, the following changes have been analysed: i) the methods of municipal waste management (WM), considering waste generation, separate waste collection and waste treatment; ii) the costs of WM service, with a focus on cost of treatment and disposal of unsorted waste; and iii) the urban solid WM policies, in terms of levels of governance, territorial planning and implementation of policies on the regional territory. The period within which the analysis was carried out covers the years from 2008 to 2018, comparing two time frames, before and after ATERSIR establishment. Data at municipal level were gathered and analysed. The results of the technical, economical and institutional assessment show that relevant benefits occurred, such as a constant improvement of environmental performances, the optimisation of the waste flows to plants, a higher level of uniformity of WM cost among Municipalities and a better quality of data collected from waste providers for the technical and economic regulation of the sector. Potential improvements are identified, whilst the institutional reform is positively evaluated in all the analysed aspects.
Chiara Magrini; Giovanni Biagini; Francesca Bellaera; Leonardo Palumbo; Alessandra Bonoli. EVOLUTION OF THE URBAN WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN THE EMILIA-ROMAGNA REGION. Detritus 2021, 152 -166.
AMA StyleChiara Magrini, Giovanni Biagini, Francesca Bellaera, Leonardo Palumbo, Alessandra Bonoli. EVOLUTION OF THE URBAN WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN THE EMILIA-ROMAGNA REGION. Detritus. 2021; (15):152-166.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChiara Magrini; Giovanni Biagini; Francesca Bellaera; Leonardo Palumbo; Alessandra Bonoli. 2021. "EVOLUTION OF THE URBAN WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN THE EMILIA-ROMAGNA REGION." Detritus , no. 15: 152-166.
Nowadays, high expectations are set for a digitally enabled circular economy (CE), to enhance resource efficiency. Tracing, tracking, and storing information is most important for this. In this paper, the application of Internet of Things (IoT) and Distributed Ledger Technology (Blockchain) are hence discussed by presenting the case of professional Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) in Italy. Within the context of CE, prevention of electronic waste (WEEE) is extremely relevant as it is a fast-growing waste stream, and the products contain environmentally damaging substances as well as valuable and rare materials. The use of a proper combination of IoT and blockchain can help the producers to keep control on products until EEE end-of-life, while promoting CE strategies and supporting decision-making. Based on the outcomes of five interviews conducted in 2019 to companies of the EEE sector, potential improvements in the EEE end-of-use management are discussed. After providing the definition of requirements for both the technical solution and its testing are provided, three solution variations and the related business models are created and presented, as well as considerations on their environmental and economic impacts. The study shows how digital technologies can support the appropriate and circular management of EEE products and WEEE.
Chiara Magrini; Jana Nicolas; Holger Berg; Alberto Bellini; Enrico Paolini; Nazarena Vincenti; Luca Campadello; Alessandra Bonoli. Using Internet of Things and Distributed Ledger Technology for Digital Circular Economy Enablement: The Case of Electronic Equipment. Sustainability 2021, 13, 4982 .
AMA StyleChiara Magrini, Jana Nicolas, Holger Berg, Alberto Bellini, Enrico Paolini, Nazarena Vincenti, Luca Campadello, Alessandra Bonoli. Using Internet of Things and Distributed Ledger Technology for Digital Circular Economy Enablement: The Case of Electronic Equipment. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (9):4982.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChiara Magrini; Jana Nicolas; Holger Berg; Alberto Bellini; Enrico Paolini; Nazarena Vincenti; Luca Campadello; Alessandra Bonoli. 2021. "Using Internet of Things and Distributed Ledger Technology for Digital Circular Economy Enablement: The Case of Electronic Equipment." Sustainability 13, no. 9: 4982.
Waste prevention (WP) can play a significant role in pursuing both sustainable development and decarbonization. Nevertheless, a general method to monitor and evaluate WP does not exist yet. This study proposes a framework for the sustainability assessment and prioritisation of waste prevention measures (WPMs), at consumption level. Firstly, some WPMs are selected, based on relevant criteria. Secondly, their impacts are assessed, in terms of environmental, economic, and social sustainability, in a life-cycle perspective. Then, a set of significant effectiveness and efficiency indicators are chosen and calculated. Finally, an algorithm for the prioritisation is proposed. This methodological approach might be useful to guide the financing choices of the public decision-makers, to assess and promote WPMs, and to develop WP strategies. Moreover, the results can be used in waste management planning and to motivate local actors through benchmarking. The designed framework has been applied to 17 projects implemented by Municipalities in the Emilia-Romagna Region (Italy), as case study. The projects, whose aim is the reduction of waste from plastic disposable goods, can be grouped in three different categories: i) drinking water dispensers in towns/cities, ii) drinking water dispensers in schools and iii) replacement of disposable goods in school canteens. The project category of drinking water dispensers in towns proved to be the most sustainable one, achieving a score of 0,4265, while the other categories scored around 0,28. The study confirms that WP should be promoted, despite being very difficult to monitor. The political institutions should invest in implementing a specific monitoring system, also able to reveal potential integration of WP strategies with other policy areas. Finally, an improved institutional framework might help the Municipalities in overcoming barriers to the identification and implementation of WPMs, by allowing for coordination and networking of individual projects and by encouraging the spread of good practices.
Chiara Magrini; Anna Degli Esposti; Elena De Marco; Alessandra Bonoli. A framework for sustainability assessment and prioritisation of urban waste prevention measures. Science of The Total Environment 2021, 776, 145773 .
AMA StyleChiara Magrini, Anna Degli Esposti, Elena De Marco, Alessandra Bonoli. A framework for sustainability assessment and prioritisation of urban waste prevention measures. Science of The Total Environment. 2021; 776 ():145773.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChiara Magrini; Anna Degli Esposti; Elena De Marco; Alessandra Bonoli. 2021. "A framework for sustainability assessment and prioritisation of urban waste prevention measures." Science of The Total Environment 776, no. : 145773.
The concept of sustainability in the road construction sector is a complex issue because of the various steps that contribute to the production and release of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Addressing this issue, the European Commission has put various policy initiatives in place to encourage the construction industry to adopt circular economy (CE) and industrial symbiosis (IS) principles e.g., the use of recycled materials. Cooperativa Trasporti Imola (CTI), a company located in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy), has been chosen for the current case study to examine practices, management, and the industrial symbiosis network among various companies in the road construction and rehabilitation sector. In this regard, the use of steel slags, obtained by an electric arc furnace (EAF), and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), obtained by the deconstruction and milling of old asphalt pavement have been investigated. Two mixtures of recycled hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) i) were prepared incorporating different recycled material percentages for the wearing and binder course, respectively, ii) were characterized in terms of size distribution, strength modulus and volumetric properties, iii) and finally were compared to the performances of two mixtures entirely designed by virgin materials for the wearing and binder course, respectively. Therefore, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tool was chosen to evaluate the environmental impacts that affect the designed road life cycle. The results show that recycling RAP and EAF slags in a CTI batch plant provides benefits by reducing the consumption of virgin bitumen and aggregates and by reducing CO2eq emissions. Finally, practical implications on the use of recycled materials in new asphalt mixtures from a life cycle and industrial symbiosis perspective are provided.
Alessandra Bonoli; Anna Degli Esposti; Chiara Magrini. A Case Study of Industrial Symbiosis to Reduce GHG Emissions: Performance Analysis and LCA of Asphalt Concretes Made With RAP Aggregates and Steel Slags. Frontiers in Materials 2020, 7, 1 .
AMA StyleAlessandra Bonoli, Anna Degli Esposti, Chiara Magrini. A Case Study of Industrial Symbiosis to Reduce GHG Emissions: Performance Analysis and LCA of Asphalt Concretes Made With RAP Aggregates and Steel Slags. Frontiers in Materials. 2020; 7 ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlessandra Bonoli; Anna Degli Esposti; Chiara Magrini. 2020. "A Case Study of Industrial Symbiosis to Reduce GHG Emissions: Performance Analysis and LCA of Asphalt Concretes Made With RAP Aggregates and Steel Slags." Frontiers in Materials 7, no. : 1.
This article focuses on quantitative prevention of municipal solid waste among the 28 member countries of the European Union. A strict definition of waste prevention is used, including waste avoidance, waste reduction at source or in process, and product reuse, while recycling is outside the scope of this article. In order to provide a solid overview of the European situation, the study selected six countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain). Several selection requirements have been considered, such as geographic location or municipal solid waste per capita production trends from 1995 to 2017. A review of prevention programmes and other national strategic documents has been conducted. Extended producer responsibility, Pay-As-You-Throw schemes, Deposit-Refund Systems and Environmental Taxes implementation among the selected countries have been studied in order to understand how these market-based instruments can be used for the sake of waste prevention. Each market-based instrument has been further analysed using the Drivers Pressures State Impact Response model. Based on the results of this study, the effectiveness of market-based instruments implementation is strictly related to the context they are enforced in. It is particularly important to tailor the market-based instruments based on the implementation area. Nevertheless, market-based instruments, which are now mostly meant to boost the recycling sector of the considered Member States, should be designed to improve waste prevention performances, ensuring the achievement of the highest level of waste hierarchy promoted by the European Union.
Chiara Magrini; Filippo D’Addato; Alessandra Bonoli. Municipal solid waste prevention: A review of market-based instruments in six European Union countries. Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy 2020, 38, 3 -22.
AMA StyleChiara Magrini, Filippo D’Addato, Alessandra Bonoli. Municipal solid waste prevention: A review of market-based instruments in six European Union countries. Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy. 2020; 38 (1_suppl):3-22.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChiara Magrini; Filippo D’Addato; Alessandra Bonoli. 2020. "Municipal solid waste prevention: A review of market-based instruments in six European Union countries." Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy 38, no. 1_suppl: 3-22.