Climate change is a reality all over the world, and its complexity is increasing. Therefore, sustainability has become a national and international concern, ingrained in many organizational processes. The ability of organizations to respond to sustainability concerns is sometimes hindered by the complexity of integrating sustainability into business models and by the need to rethink their strategic directions. In Romania, sustainable development has become a priority for businesses, but even though companies are showing some concern, there are yet to demonstrate any full commitment (they are mainly concerned with areas such as society and the environment). This paper assesses Romania’s involvement in the adoption of actions directed toward the reduction of pollutants and greenhouse gases, namely actions focused on reducing the main causes of pollution. This analysis compares the situation in Romania with that of the European Union. The main concerns can be categorized according to four sectors, which produce the highest quantity of carbon dioxide emissions in the world: the energy sector, the transport sector, the waste sector and the industry sector. The last section of this paper deals with the carbon footprint of Romania and its implications.

Food waste, particularly animal-derived waste, presents a significant challenge globally, prompting the need for sustainable management strategies. In 2022, the amount of food waste per capita reached 131 kg/capita in the EU (European Union), which is why the search for environmentally friendly ways to manage food waste through thermochemical conversion processes has gained momentum in recent years. Animal-derived waste is a good source of organic matter (proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides) and mineral compounds (calcium phosphate, mostly hydroxyapatite). This composition makes animal-derived waste valuable for the extraction of chemical compounds, such as hydroxyapatite (HAp), which constitutes up to 70 wt% of animal bones; keratin; collagen; and hyaluronic acid (HA), to produce pharmaceutical, medical, or industrial by-products. The thermochemical conversion of chicken bones through pyrolysis and gasification creates a new opportunity to valorize this type of waste by reintroducing valuable by-products into the economy and thus achieving sustainable waste management objectives. The results of this study showcase the multiple applications of the pyrolysis of chicken bone waste products (as adsorbents in aqueous mediums, catalysts, fertilizers, and biomedical applications) and the necessity of a better exploration of the gasification process of chicken bone waste. Therefore, this study explores the properties of animal-derived waste and discusses the pyrolysis and gasification of chicken bone waste, the influence of process conditions on product yields, and the catalytic enhancement of these thermochemical processes.