Description: This paper investigates the factors influencing the behavior of individuals in source-separation of municipal solid waste in an immature system for collection of recyclable waste (SaintPetersburg, Russia) and a more mature waste system (selected urban areas, Finland). Online question-naires were applied to collect data from citizens of Saint Petersburg and the Finnish urban population.The data were examined within an extended theory of planned behavior using structural equationmodeling for the identification of factors affecting waste source-separation behavior. The findingsindicate that the factors differed significantly in the two waste systems. In Russia, the inconvenienceof waste collection limited waste source-separation behavior, while intentions of individuals andinformation availability had an almost equal positive effect. In Finland, waste source-separationbehavior was mostly affected by people’s intentions. Based on the findings, recommendations forthe development of recycling practices were made for practitioners in Russia and possibly otherearly-stage systems for the collection of recyclable waste. Limitations of the study pinpointed thepossibilities for future research.

Description: Waste management in Saint Petersburg and the surrounding Leningrad region is based on landfilling nowadays. Municipal solid waste is normally collected by a one-bin system. Around 10-20% of collected waste is sorted at the sorting stations to recover recyclable materials. Additionally, at some stations, composting of a screening reject is applied to produce a landfill cover material. Such a system results in a vast amount of waste degrading in the landfills instead of being used as a resource. Also, this way of handling waste is greenhouse gas-intensive. These concerns, coupled with the growing amount of generated waste, led to the reformation of the waste management system in the area which is currently underway. To help the reformation succeed, this thesis provides the evaluation of the environmental performance of the municipal solid waste management system in the area through a life cycle assessment.

Description: Fast fashion has one of the highest negative impacts on the environment. A huge amount of water and energy is consumed in all processes of raw material extraction, fiber manufacturing, weaving, dyeing, washing to the end of use, recycling and burning fibers and clothes waste. During the past decade, researchers and policy makers have discussed circular economy (CE) solutions and business models aiming to achieve sustainability goals. CE solutions have gained textile industries’, regulators’ and scholars’ attention as we are moving toward a digital world; many experts argued that Industry 4.0 technologies can accelerate the industrial transition toward circularity. Digital technologies help transfer real-time material and product condition, availability, accessibility and resources data and boost the CE transition in textiles and apparel industries. Product design development, product prototyping and recycling the materials can be done with higher efficiency by utilizing Industry 4.0 technologies. The authors conducted a mapping study of the current academic literature on digitalization-based solutions and revolution in textile industries toward a circular economy. The study looked for publications articulating different implementations of digital technologies in the circularity of the textile industry.

Description: In the circular economy (CE) world, design is a vital tool to transform waste to wealth to enhance material recycling for new products (e.g., design for modularity, design for disassembly, etc.). Industry 4.0 technologies and digital innovations have recently provided positive impact towards CE transition, for instance through data-analysis of products lifecycle. In this regard, a close collaboration is required between industries, consumers and policy makers for a more detailed and precise data on product lifecycle and waste collection as well as consumer behavior. Accordingly, digitalization can help in tracking and tracing products through transferring the real-time data on products’ location, condition, availability, etc., which can boost product-life extension through sensors and digital platforms. In order to have a more efficient and effective CE solution, close collaboration is required among various actors of textile circular ecosystem, where the consumers are the core of such ecosystem. In this sense, IoT plays an essential role by transferring information and data to all the actors and improving their awareness of new circular opportunities.

Description: An investigation of a digitalization-related business model as a result from the university-SME collaboration. The SME of the case study (Preventos Informatics Ltd) specializes in water distribution systems in industrial scale, telemetry, and sensor data-based monitoring of the water distribution. The business model of the company is a result of an innovation process during 2016-2017. The SME was established 2018. This study examines the commercialization process’s success factors and compares the original business model to the finally implemented one after two years. The study reviews the current literature of sustainable business models and digitalization and reflects the results from this study. Based on the results, by quantifying the sustainability, environmental aspects and digitalization, value added can be brought to the business model.

Description: Authors found 28 contributing studies. Where most of the contributing studies are journals and almost half of the work has been published in the last 3 years. Sustainability and waste management reporting related literature seem to enjoy wide appreciation among the peers, indicated by a high number of references these publications had gathered. The research area of waste management process quantified data reporting seems really young overall and needs additional research with multiple research gaps clearly waiting for follow-up research to pinpoint the specific areas to contribute in the near future.

Description: This work support the AWARE project and find sustainable ways to engage citizens to recycle and promote the sustainability in St. Petersburg. Waste management is an important worldwide issue and very critical as almost 33% of annual Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is not managed in an environmentally safe way. Current estimates highlight that 2.0 billion tons of MSW are globally generated per year. Globally, the most common way to handle MSW is still dumping or disposing the waste to landfills. There is significant potential in waste recovery as approximately 75% of waste in Europe and central Asia could be recovered and utilized with the right processes.

Description: This study is a follow-up on the implementation of a business model created in a co-creation process with two universities and an established SME comapny. The shared collaboration sustainability innovation results between the collaborators on research, development and innovation context were analyzed. A product was innovated for water distribution monitoring service’s needs and then generated based on shared RDI pilot and the SME company was found on 2018 as result of the RDI project and business model creation process. Authors elaborate findings for commercialization possibilities success factors and challenges for the co-creation concept. Evaluation criteria used are the feasibility of implementation and the environmental and economic value. Literature review focuses on collaboration enhanced sustainability innovations, which is used as comparison frame. Authors suggest efficient actions for collaborative innovation in order to boost commercialization of environmental innovations.

Description: In 2016, sorting boxes were installed on the territory of Agalatovsky rural settlement for participation in the all-Russian competition of young ecologists of the Russian school movement. In 2019, a survey of 219 respondents on the knowledge of the functions and location of ecoboxes in Agalatovo revealed that: 36% of 219 respondents do not know what an ecobox is; 53% are unaware of their functions; 74% of respondents do not know the location and possible use of eco-boxes in Agalatovsky rural settlement. According to the respondents, ecoboxes have -long payback period; -you need a long period of time to return your investment; -high price of equipment for recycling. The purpose of the Divide and rule project was to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the use ofsorting boxes during the testing period and inform school-age children about the prospects for theiruse in the territory of Agalatovsky rural settlement. The result of these activities was a significantdecrease in the number of respondents among students who do not know the meaning andplacement of eco-boxes in Agalatovo.

Description: The article analyzes the state control in the field of waste management of production and consumption. The subject of the research is waste management policy tools. The paper considers the issues of the legal basis for municipal control in the field of waste management of production and consumption, responsibility for violations of legislation in the field of waste management of production and consumption, identified during the implementation of environmental control measures.

Description: The problem of recycling things in a rapidly changing world is becoming more and more widespread every day. The most acceptable method of disposal is secondary use, which helps not only to reduce the number of landfills, but also to save resources. Old things that can no longer be used for their intended purpose can be reinterpreted, given a “second life”. This article discusses examples of how people can dispose of unnecessary things, reuse things in order to preserve the environment.

Description: The disadvantages of the recommended biogas handling technologies are noted. Yes, an assessment of the known metrics used in selecting the best available technology. Supplements are proposed that allow the use of indicators to assess the level of perfection of technologies for handling biogas in the direction of the synthesis of concentrated methane and hydrogen.

Description: The chronology of events at the Shies railway station is analyzed, as well as its relationship with environmental activism in Russia. On the basis of the collected data, the features of the conflict between activists and the authorities were revealed, as well as an analysis of the current situation with the processing and storage of waste in Russia.

Description: The article presents the strategy of environmental management as minimizing the impact of the company’s processes, products and services on the environment.

Description: In this paper, the combined processes of waste production and disposal were considered, as well as alternative methods of disinfection of PPE, medical waste and premises were proposed.

Description: This article outlines the main problems of collecting and recycling car tires. A straight-line dependence of the absence of an organized collection and recycling system of automobile tires on an unstable environmental situation is obtained, and ways of solving this problem are proposed.

Description: The problem of effective waste management is relevant for the Russian Federation as it has a significant impact on the environment. Finland has accumulated experience in rational waste use and management. In order to introduce effective waste management methods into practice, the KS1913 AWARE project “Against Waste: Activate Research and Education” is being implemented under the South-East Finland-Russia Cross-Border Cooperation Programme. The aim of the project is to increase ecological awareness of residents of Saint-Petersburg and Leningrad Region, university professors, researchers, students, businessmen and representatives of state structures of Saint-Petersburg and Leningrad Region as well as to acquire skills and expand opportunities for sustainable waste management.

Description: The article presents the foreign experience of processing various types of waste on the example of Sweden. The chronological stages of the implementation of the so-called “garbage” reform in the country are given. The structure of waste processed in Sweden is presented, the process of sorting municipal solid waste is described, and innovative technologies used in the field of waste processing are presented.

Description: The article discusses the waste management mechanism in the system of ensuring technogenic and environmental safety in accordance with Federal legislation. The main types and classes of waste, their specific gravity in the total mass of waste, methods of disposal are considered. The main directions of improving waste management are revealed.

Description: The article gives a comparative assessment and characteristics of the technology of plasma gasification of waste processing using heat treatment, and also substantiates not only the environmental and technical efficiency, but also practical feasibility.

Description: The article analyzes the current state of solid waste management in St. Petersburg, considers volumetric and structural changes for the period 2010-2019. The article presents the characteristics of the Saint Petersburg infrastructure for processing, recycling, neutralization and disposal of solid municipal waste. Particular attention is paid to the system of collection and disposal of hazardous waste.

Description: Authors found 28 contributing studies. Where most of the contributing studies are journals and almost half of the work has been published in the last 3 years. Sustainability and waste management reporting related literature seem to enjoy wide appreciation among the peers, indicated by a high number of references these publications had gathered. The research area of waste management process quantified data reporting seems really young overall and needs additional research with multiple research gaps clearly waiting for follow-up research to pinpoint the specific areas to contribute in the near future.