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Biowaste Valorization for a Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Society
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Biowaste Valorization for a Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Society

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Waste and Recycling".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 26009

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rajeev Pratap Singh

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Environment & Sustainable Development, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221011, India
Interests: waste management; ecotoxicology; sustainable agriculture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Mallavarapu Megharaj

grade E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Global Centre for Environmental Remediation, College of Engineering Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
Interests: environmental biotechnology; risk assessment; remediation; resource recovery and sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Vaibhav Srivastava

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj 211002, Uttar Pradesh, India
Interests: organic waste management; vermicomposting; plant stress physiology; agriculture sustainability; emerging contaminants
Dr. Surindra Singh Suthar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Environment & Natural Resources, Doon University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001, India
Interests: solid waste management; waste-to-energy; vermitechnology/compost technology; ecotoxicology; phytoremediation; groundwater hydrology
Prof. Dr. Vinod Kumar Garg

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Affiliation: Center for Environmental Science and Technology, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab 151001, India
Interests: water and wastewater pollution monitoring and abatement; solid waste management; pesticide pollution; heavy metal and radionuclide pollution; radio-ecology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Urban waste has become one of the most challenging environmental problems in today's world owing to unprecedented urbanization and industrial activities. The global amounts of annual waste generation were estimated to be 2.01 billion tonnes in 2016 and are expected to reach 3.40 billion tonnes by 2050. The waste sector is a significant player in global GHG emissions (~5 percent), driven primarily by open dumping and disposal in landfills without landfill gas capture systems. Globally, 37 percent of waste is landfilled, while 33 percent is openly dumped, posing a severe threat to environmental sustainability as well as a slew of other challenging issues in society. Ironically, 80 percent of global waste is not recycled, resulting in a loss to resource recovery potential. Therefore, biowaste valorization is an attractive approach that offers a range of promising alternatives to disposal/or landfilling of waste. Valorization techniques, such as composting, vermicomposting, anaerobic digestion, anaerobic fermentation, gasification, pyrolysis, co-processing, etc., add value to waste. The recovery of value-added products, including materials, chemicals, and energy, supports global sustainability, which relies on a low carbon footprint, renewable resources, renewable energy, waste reduction, decreased pollution, GHG reduction, ecosystem and human health, sustainable agriculture practices, the reclamation of degraded land, improved crop yield, etc. Biowaste streams are well aligned and play an important role in the transition towards a circular bioeconomy, which entails improved resource management and the reintroduction of the end waste product into the production cycle to close the loop, leading to waste minimization. Biowaste can also produce many value-added by-products via different biorefinery platforms, further fueling the circular bioeconomy, such as bioplastics, biopolymers, bioenergy, and biochemicals. Adopting and implementing these biowaste valorization technologies in developing nations is seen as critical for improving global sustainability.

In this context, this Special Issue, entitled 'Biowaste Valorization for a Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Society,' aims to present cutting-edge information on various approaches to biowaste valorization, optimization and challenges, value-added products, and their role in socioeconomic–environmental sustainability. The scope of this Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following areas:

  • Biowaste application in agriculture (as compost, vermicompost, biosolid/sludge, fly-ash, biochar, digestate, direct land application);
  • Wastewater reuse and agricultural sustainability;
  • Biowaste amendments—plant biochemical, physiological, and economic yield attributes;
  • Biowaste amendments—soil microbial ecology;
  • Biowaste amendments—nutrient cycling;
  • Restoration of marginal and degraded lands via biowaste-based amendments;
  • Restoration of polluted and agricultural lands via biowaste-based amendments;
  • Biowaste-to-energy conversion technologies, their optimization, and economic viability (anaerobic digestion, anaerobic fermentation, gasification, pyrolysis);
  • Biorefineries in circular bioeconomy and their techno-economic viability;
  • Biorefineries–circular bioeconomy–environmental sustainability nexus;
  • Policy, societal, technological, and economic aspects of biowaste valorization.

Dr. Rajeev Pratap Singh
Prof. Dr. Megharaj Mallavarapu
Dr. Vaibhav Srivastava
Dr. Surindra Singh Suthar
Prof. Dr. Vinod Kumar Garg
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biowaste
  • wastewater
  • reuse
  • recycling
  • compost
  • vermicompost
  • biosolid/sludge
  • fly-ash
  • amendments
  • agriculture
  • nutrient recovery
  • soil microbial ecology
  • soil fertility
  • crop yield
  • restoration of degraded land
  • waste-to-energy
  • sustainability
  • biorefinery
  • circular bioeconomy
  • policy

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 3503 KiB  
Article
Boosting Biowaste Valorisation—Do We Need an Accelerated Regional Implementation of the European Law for End-of-Waste?
by Konrad Siegfried, Susann Günther, Sara Mengato, Fabian Riedel and Daniela Thrän
Sustainability 2023, 15(17), 13147; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151713147 - 1 Sep 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1924
Abstract
The valorisation of municipal and household biowaste as a relevant component of the EU’s Circular Economy Strategy is currently under discussion. However, there are several legal, technical and economic challenges associated with biowaste valorisation. This paper aims to pinpoint factors affecting biowaste supply [...] Read more.
The valorisation of municipal and household biowaste as a relevant component of the EU’s Circular Economy Strategy is currently under discussion. However, there are several legal, technical and economic challenges associated with biowaste valorisation. This paper aims to pinpoint factors affecting biowaste supply chains using the PESTEL+I method and stakeholder workshops. Our analysis focuses on the macro-environment of an integrated biowaste conversion and valorisation concept in the region of Wallonia, Belgium. One key influencing factor is the EU’s legal framework on waste, which describes the end-of-waste status and defines criteria for biowaste reuse. While the analysis shows that EU regulations support biowaste valorisation, its transposition into national and regional law is lagging behind. The technological development of biowaste concepts might be hampered and many questions related to the marketisation of bio-based products remain unanswered. We therefore suggest that legal procedures for biowaste management have to be facilitated at the regional level. The region of Wallonia should establish a category for biowaste that would include standardized procedures for biowaste valorisation and products. It is essential that such regional barriers be overcome to establish the necessary cooperation with local stakeholders and to transfer biowaste supply chains to the market. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biowaste Valorization for a Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Society)
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19 pages, 2702 KiB  
Article
Effect of Compost and Vermicompost Amendments on Biochemical and Physiological Responses of Lady’s Finger (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) Grown under Different Salinity Gradients
by Ibha Suhani, Vaibhav Srivastava, Mallavarapu Megharaj, Surindra Suthar, Vinod Kumar Garg and Rajeev Pratap Singh
Sustainability 2023, 15(15), 11590; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151511590 - 27 Jul 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1539
Abstract
In the coming decades, the pressure to use saline water will increase as most of the natural resources with good water quality are being depleted. In order to avoid more stress on the soil plant system, a better understanding of the type of [...] Read more.
In the coming decades, the pressure to use saline water will increase as most of the natural resources with good water quality are being depleted. In order to avoid more stress on the soil plant system, a better understanding of the type of amendments and their integration with the irrigational water quality of any location-specific region is essential. Utilizing salt-affected lands in the best way possible will facilitate food security for the growing human population. An experiment was conducted with the Abelmoschus esculentus L. plant, irrigated with saline water having different NaCl gradients (0, 50, 100 and 150 mM), to evaluate the biochemical and physiological responses under different salinity gradients. Additionally, the effect of compost and vermicompost amendments in soil on plant responses to the changing salinity of irrigated water was observed. The results suggested that the addition of compost and vermicompost in soil not only suppressed the adverse impact of salinity in plants but also increased soil nutrients (TKN, OC, avail. P, avail. K and avail. Ca contents). Moreover, some biochemical parameters and plant growth parameters showed better traits in such manure-amended setups. The enhancement of proline, phenol, ascorbic acid and lipid peroxidation contents in the leaves of Abelmoschus esculentus L. under high salinity levels suggests some secondary metabolite-mediated response possibly due to stress caused by soil salt accumulations. In summary, crop production could be efficiently maintained in saline water-irrigated areas after amending the soils with appropriate organic manure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biowaste Valorization for a Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Society)
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14 pages, 3191 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Natural Fiber Extracted from Corn (Zea mays L.) Stalk Waste for Sustainable Development
by Saroj Devi, Pawan Kumar Poonia, Vikas Kumar, Anjali Tiwari, Rajesh Kumar Meena, Uttam Kumar, Aneela Gulnaz and Mohammad Khalid Al-Sadoon
Sustainability 2022, 14(24), 16605; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416605 - 12 Dec 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3948
Abstract
Corn stalk fibers were extracted from corn stalk using sodium hydroxide for textile application. The extraction conditions were optimized on the basis of the quality and quantity of extracted fibers. The optimum conditions were obtained by treating corn stalk with 5 g/L concentration [...] Read more.
Corn stalk fibers were extracted from corn stalk using sodium hydroxide for textile application. The extraction conditions were optimized on the basis of the quality and quantity of extracted fibers. The optimum conditions were obtained by treating corn stalk with 5 g/L concentration of sodium hydroxide for 60 min at boiling temperature using a 1:50 material-to-liquor ratio. Extracted fibers were bleached and tested for different physical and chemical properties. Besides these properties, the characterization of extracted fibers was carried out by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and Fourier–transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. SEM was used to study the morphological changes in the raw and bleached fibers. The crystallinity changes of the raw and bleached samples were measured with an X-ray diffractometer by peak height method. FTIR was used to examine the compositional changes in the bleaching process. It was found that raw fibers contained the cellular residues such as lignin and hemicelluloses, which cement the fibers together. The chemical treatments such as alkali and bleaching partially removed hemicelluloses, lignin, and amorphous fractions of cellulose. This led to the gradually increasing crystallinity of the treated fiber. Peak height values were obtained by measuring the transmittance of the spectra through FTIR analysis. Different physical and chemical properties of the extracted corn stalk fibers indicated that it can be used for making biodegradable composite materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biowaste Valorization for a Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Society)
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11 pages, 1287 KiB  
Article
Vermicomposting as a Sustainable Option for Managing Biomass of the Invasive Tree Acacia dealbata Link
by Celestino Quintela-Sabarís, Luís A. Mendes and Jorge Domínguez
Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 13828; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142113828 - 25 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2019
Abstract
The tree Acacia dealbata is native to Australia but has become invasive in many parts of the world thanks to its N-fixing capacity and to the allelopathic compounds present in its biomass. We conducted a pilot-scale study to assess the potential conversion of [...] Read more.
The tree Acacia dealbata is native to Australia but has become invasive in many parts of the world thanks to its N-fixing capacity and to the allelopathic compounds present in its biomass. We conducted a pilot-scale study to assess the potential conversion of A. dealbata biomass by vermicomposting via the earthworm Eisenia andrei. The flowering aerial A. dealbata biomass was shredded and placed in a vermireactor under greenhouse conditions for 56 days. The vermicomposted material was sampled every two weeks to analyse its biological and chemical parameters. The phytotoxicity of the fresh A. dealbata material and vermicompost was assessed via an ecotoxicological test with Lepidium sativum seeds. The activity of the earthworms caused strong modifications of the properties of the processed material: the electric conductivity, basal respiration, and organic matter content were reduced, whereas the concentrations of other elements such as N, P, or Zn increased. The earthworm biomass increased steadily until day 42 and then decreased, probably due to the depletion of labile organic matter during the initial stages of vermicomposting. The fresh A. dealbata material reduced the germination and radicle elongation of L. sativum, whereas vermicompost showed the same values as control. The produced vermicompost was an organic fertiliser rich in N and was not phytotoxic. Vermicomposting provides an opportunity to create a new value chain for the control of the invasive tree A. dealbata. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biowaste Valorization for a Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Society)
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Graphical abstract

19 pages, 2326 KiB  
Article
Drying of Food Waste for Potential Use as Animal Feed
by Abdul Wasim Noori, Mohammad Jafar Royen, Alžbeta Medveďová and Juma Haydary
Sustainability 2022, 14(10), 5849; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14105849 - 11 May 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4880
Abstract
A considerable part of food is wasted, causing investment capital loss as well as environmental pollution and health problems in humans. Indirect solar drying was applied to test the potential of drying and reusing this waste as a component of animal feed. The [...] Read more.
A considerable part of food is wasted, causing investment capital loss as well as environmental pollution and health problems in humans. Indirect solar drying was applied to test the potential of drying and reusing this waste as a component of animal feed. The effect of weather changes on drying kinetics and the effective diffusion coefficient, dried feed nutritional composition, and microbiological analysis of the dried product were investigated. A convective laboratory dryer was used as a reference method. Weather conditions have a crucial effect on the use of solar drying; one sunny day with appropriate conditions can reduce the water activity of food waste to below 0.3 and moisture content to below 6%. Much better fitting of experimental and model drying curves was achieved considering sample shrinkage, applying a more complex solution of Fick’s second law combined with an optimization procedure. The studied food waste had a good combination of nutrients, such as protein, fat, and carbohydrates; however, the amount of protein in the dried food waste was found to be lower than that in regular feed, and therefore, adding a protein source is recommended. Autoclaving of fresh samples reduced the total microbial counts of dried samples by more than 50%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biowaste Valorization for a Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Society)
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16 pages, 1015 KiB  
Article
Sewage Sludge as N-Fertilizers for Crop Production Enabling the Circular Bioeconomy in Agriculture: A Challenge for the New EU Regulation 1009/2019
by Mirko Cucina, Patrizia De Nisi, Simone Sordi and Fabrizio Adani
Sustainability 2021, 13(23), 13165; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313165 - 27 Nov 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2797
Abstract
The fertilizer framework in the European Union has recently been reviewed by EU Regulation 1009/2019 that excluded sewage sludge from the list of the possible constituents of organic fertilizers relying on their origin, not on their quality. This paper aimed to carry out [...] Read more.
The fertilizer framework in the European Union has recently been reviewed by EU Regulation 1009/2019 that excluded sewage sludge from the list of the possible constituents of organic fertilizers relying on their origin, not on their quality. This paper aimed to carry out a complete characterization of sewage sludge obtained from a pharmaceutical manufacturing process (PDSS) to demonstrate that sewage sludge obtained from a standardized and controlled manufacturing process can be safely recycled as organic fertilizer. The agronomic and environmental characteristics of the PDSS product were analyzed and compared to other organic fertilizers. Its fertilizing potential was also evaluated through plant growth trials. PDSS was characterized by a high concentration of total N (6.6% w/w), which was all present in organic form. PDSS also showed a low concentration of heavy metals, an absence of pathogens and low concentrations of organic contaminants. Plant growth trials showed that the PDSS was able to improve lettuce and carrot growth (+25 and +46% of dry weight compared to the unfertilized control), as well as their physiological status. Considering all the results, the exclusion of sewage sludge relying only on its origin and not on its quality appears to conflict with the principles of the circular bioeconomy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biowaste Valorization for a Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Society)
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Review

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11 pages, 13003 KiB  
Review
Impact of Vermicomposting on Greenhouse Gas Emission: A Short Review
by Amrita Kumari Panda, Rojita Mishra, Joystu Dutta, Zishan Ahmad Wani, Shreekar Pant, Sazada Siddiqui, Saad Abdulrahman Alamri, Sulaiman A. Alrumman, Mohammed Ali Alkahtani and Satpal Singh Bisht
Sustainability 2022, 14(18), 11306; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811306 - 9 Sep 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6359
Abstract
The implementation of cutting-edge agricultural practices provides tools and techniques to drive climate-smart agriculture, reduce carbon emissions, and lower the carbon footprint. The alteration of climate conditions due to human activities poses a serious threat to the global agricultural systems. Greenhouse gas emissions [...] Read more.
The implementation of cutting-edge agricultural practices provides tools and techniques to drive climate-smart agriculture, reduce carbon emissions, and lower the carbon footprint. The alteration of climate conditions due to human activities poses a serious threat to the global agricultural systems. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from organic waste management need urgent attention to optimize conventional composting strategies for organic wastes. The addition of various inorganic materials such as sawdust and fly ash mitigate GHG during the vermicomposting process. This paper critically investigates the factors responsible for GHG emissions during vermicomposting so that possible threats can be managed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biowaste Valorization for a Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Society)
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