Search results

This study examines whether design typicality and the communication of the zero-waste concept as a sustainable practice impact consumers’ aesthetic preferences and purchase intentions for zero-waste apparel.

The study employed a 2 (dress design: typical vs atypical) × 2 (dress length: long vs short) × 2 (zero-waste concept communication: present vs absent) mixed factorial experimental design with an online survey of 137 female consumers, ages 19–34.

Respondents rated typical zero-waste design dresses significantly higher than atypical dresses for aesthetic preferences and purchase intentions. Further, the zero-waste design concept did not affect this typicality-based preference or purchase intention for zero-waste dresses. They also demonstrated greater overall aesthetic preferences for long than short zero-waste dresses. Design typicality moderated this effect such that aesthetic preferences and purchase intentions were greater for long than short-length dresses when the zero-waste dress design was typical. When the design was atypical, purchase intentions were greater for short than long dresses.

Typicality is critical in consumers’ aesthetic preferences and purchase intentions for zero-waste apparel.

The study focused on zero-waste dress typicality as a critical factor in consumers’ preference formation and purchase intentions. Additionally, it investigated dress length preferences within typical and atypical designs.

One goal of the United Nation's key sustainable development is to ensure sustainable consumption and production habits. In particular, the United Nation's target 12.5 aims at substantially reducing “waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse by 2030” (United Nations, 2022). This strategy goes hand in hand with the so-called “Zero Waste” concept where waste is reduced as much as possible. Zero Waste has gained increasing attention in production technology and waste management literature. Interestingly, the concept has also become more and more popular with consumers in recent years. Indeed, environmentally conscious consumers increasingly make efforts to reduce their waste production by changing their lifestyles accordingly (Săplăcan & Márton, 2019), such as bringing their own bags for grocery shopping or using their own coffee-to-go mugs when filling coffee in cafés. These Zero Waste practices become particularly popular with consumers in the food industry. By investigating the Zero Waste practices within the food industry, this research will demonstrate how companies develop business ideas to address this consumption trend. Specifically, it shows both challenges and opportunities companies face when targeting Zero Waste consumers. Moreover, the chapter analyzes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Zero Waste consumption patterns in the food industry and proposes strategies how food companies can respond effectively to these changes. Finally, the research provides practical recommendations to companies on how to implement Zero Waste practices to appeal to environmental conscious Zero Waste consumers.

The zero-waste term in municipal solid waste management has been the utopian objective of every waste management authority in the cities in developing countries, even though it comes with different perceptions, which are sometimes misguided. People can produce no waste unless they live with no consumption. The zero-waste term does not mean that we produce no waste, rather we dump no waste at the landfill site. It means we dispose of nothing at a landfill site since the issue of landfill site can be a culprit of waste management, for its reiterating city land demands that generate “headaches” to city authority because of NIMBYism (Not In My Back Yard issue). No one accepts living voluntarily next to a landfill site as it creates more harm than harmless. With zero waste at the landfill site in mind, the waste management authority attempts to deal with the complexity of municipal solid waste management, by reviving each element of the waste management stakeholders to concertedly move on to deal with waste. Individual households and communities, without which waste management will not be successful, were positioned as the main thrust of waste management. A multipronged approach was implemented with all stakeholders, i.e., lawmakers, regulators, waste producers, implementers, and pressure groups, appearing with different functions but a common point: zero waste at the landfill site. A stakeholder with a large capacity, i.e., local government focuses on creating a large project that has a large impact on overall waste management; private sectors may contribute to establishing recycling centers, and waste-to-energy projects. Meanwhile, the individual households, which are large in number but have a small capacity, establish community-based activities, i.e., waste banks. This chapter attempts to provide the overall picture of municipal solid waste management in 14 cities in developing countries toward their goal of zero waste at landfill sites.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a cradle-to-cradle (C2C) zero discharge production planning system with a fuzzy hybrid optimization model that uses fuzzy comprehensive evaluation to establish fuzzy indicators, and then defuzzify the fuzzy indicators to construct a fuzzy multiobjective programming (FMOP) model.

The FMOP model pursues overall satisfaction using a particle swarm optimization algorithm to produce the best output values for the maximum waste paper recovery rate, the condensate reuse quality and minimum total cost of the zero discharge production planning system.

Recovered waste heat is seldom recycled and consumed in Taiwan. There is a need to capture and utilize heat recovery and use it in the production process supply. In contrast, waste materials are used as resources to perform waste paper recovery and recycle the waste heat of evaporation collection in the production process.

This paper develops a system to establish the best output value for an overall high satisfaction level. According to the results, the waste paper recovery rate is 99.8 percent, condensate reuse quality water is 102.6 tons and the total cost of the zero discharge production planning system is NT$1,312,012.

Currently, waste is regarded as a symptom of inefficiency. The generation of waste is a human activity, not a natural one. Currently, landfilling and incinerating wastes are common waste management techniques; but the use of these methods, in addition to wasting raw materials, causes damage to the environment, water, soil, and air. In the new concept of “Zero Waste” (ZW), waste is considered a valuable resource. A vital component of the methodology includes creating and managing items and procedures that limit the waste volume and toxicity and preserve and recover all resources rather than burning or burying them. With ZW, the end of one product becomes the beginning of another, unlike a linear system where waste is generated from product consumption. A scientific treatment technique, resource recovery, and reverse logistics may enable the waste from one product to become raw material for another, regardless of whether it is municipal, industrial, agricultural, biomedical, construction, or demolition. This chapter discusses the concept of zero landfills and zero waste and related initiatives and ideas; it also looks at potential obstacles to put the ZW concept into reality. Several methods are presented to investigate and evaluate efficient resource utilization for maximum recycling efficiency, economic improvement through resource minimization, and mandatory refuse collection. One of the most practical and used approaches is the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach, which is based on green engineering and the cradle-to-cradle principle; the LCA technique is used in most current research, allowing for a complete investigation of possible environmental repercussions. This approach considers the entire life cycle of a product, including the origin of raw materials, manufacturing, transportation, usage, and final disposal, or recycling. Using a life cycle perspective, all stakeholders (product designers, service providers, political and legislative agencies, and consumers) may make environmentally sound and long-term decisions.

This study develops an integrated zero waste discharge planning approach for improving resource efficiency in a pulp-and-paper manufacturing firm.

The objectives of this study are to (1) identify the environmental, technical and social metrics in resource efficiency; (2) utilize fuzzy multi-objective programming and the hybrid particle swarm optimization algorithm to solve the fuzzy problem; and (3) develop an assessment for resource efficiency improvement in an industrial case study.

The findings demonstrate the superiority of hybrid particle swarm optimization algorithm in generating optimal results for a pulp-and-paper manufacturing firm.

The findings demonstrate the superiority of hybrid particle swarm optimization algorithm in generating optimal results for a pulp-and-paper manufacturing firm.

Resource efficiency is a multi-objective problem in an uncertain environment. In particular, zero waste discharge planning involves minimizing the total cost and maximizing the waste material recovery rate, wastewater reuse, and waste heat recovery.

The circular economy (CE) proposes that all materials flow in a close-looped system. Waste generated by one production stage may be useful in another. Thus, the idea of a CE is linked to the goal of zero waste (ZW) and promotes a range of sustainable economic, social and environmental benefits in each sector. When we apply this to construction waste management, waste can be managed through reducing, recycling, upcycling and reusing. However, there is an inevitable cost implication associated with this process due to the additional requirement of inventory and waste processing, and this becomes a disincentive to implementing the CE. Formal institutions, referring here to legal rules and regulations, play a critical role in motivating firms and individuals towards a CE. As different countries have different government rules and regulations, and there is limited research on their differences, we review Asia’s and Europe’s legal rules and regulations relevant to the goal of ZW and CE in the construction sector.

The zero-waste lifestyle (ZWL) is considered a reasonable step towards controlling waste generation and minimizing the consequences of human activities on the environment. The main aim of this study is to examine the behavioral antecedents of ZWL.

The study draws on the theoretical underpinnings of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the norm activation model (NAM) to develop a conceptual framework to understand the antecedents to ZWL. A cross-sectional survey among 349 randomly-selected consumers provided data analyzed with the partial least square-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) methodology.

The results demonstrate that personal norms, attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control positively influenced the intention to adopt ZWL. Additionally, the study showed that the awareness of consequences influenced personal norms, attitudes and subjective norms. However, the study identified an intention–behavior gap in adopting ZWL.

This study serves as a pioneering exploration of the behavioral factors that impact the adoption of ZWL. Additionally, the paper endeavors to elucidate the underlying reasons behind the intention–behavior gap within this particular context. Consequently, the study offers substantial theoretical and practical implications aimed at promoting and fostering greater adoption of ZWL practices.

The purpose of this study is to identify and assess the waste management strategies that should be priorities for higher education institutions. The role of policy instruments (i.e. purchasing policies and recycling initiatives) in implementing sustainable zero-waste management programs at higher education institutions was investigated through comparison of American top-level and Western Kentucky University (WKU) benchmark universities.

Waste minimization-oriented policy instruments implemented at American top-level and WKU benchmark universities were analyzed through policy evaluation techniques. Digital surveys were distributed to sustainability coordinators at WKU benchmark and top-level universities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with survey participants.

It is important to identify well-defined temporal periods with goals and allocated tasks for direct and indirect stakeholders. Time periods should include planning for readiness programs and infrastructural needs, along with performing comprehensive waste characterization studies. As the waste program matures, the creation of integrated waste management policies with specific responsibilities for all stakeholders and departments will be required.

The sampling of universities evaluated in this research is not representative of all universities in the USA or internationally, as they can vary widely. Yet, general waste management trends applicable to most universities can be gleaned from this research.

Widely varying zero-waste strategies are readily implemented at universities. A holistic review of successful waste management plans highlights key management approaches that should be included in all plans to ensure their success.

This study is one of the first of its kind to holistically evaluate policy factors influencing effective zero-waste management at higher education institutions.

The paper attempts to frame the challenge of managing the transition to a sustainable economy by way of a conceptual model consisting of a zero-footprint regulatory regime and a sustainability fund.

A conceptual model of the sustainable industrial revolution has been developed based on the learnings from industries such as originators (mining), farming, pharmaceuticals, pesticides and chemicals and long-lasting artefacts against an overall perspective.

It is suggested to have an institutional structural mechanism in place to ensure that footprint is minimized through recycling including refurbishing, resale or transformation. This includes management of recycling businesses through execution of a zero-waste regulatory regime that will build and use a sustainability fund.

The limitations of the paper are arising out of the topic being an issue of gigantic proportions with immense complexity. An attempt has been made to bring out the inescapability and the imperative of a sustainable industrial revolution.

This paper presents practical aspects such as collusion between trash and recycling businesses, land use and social aspects of criticality of public support. If implemented, the suggested model can make a paradigm shift in the way firms, industry and governments can handle the challenge of sustainability.

The value of this conceptual paper lies in an attempt to extend the learning organization framework to the concept of a regulatory model for sustainability that is not limited to the definition of a firm but stands extended to industries and to the economics, land use and demographics of the planet.