Editorial : Greening the way : emerging green technologies in process intensification

Abstract

In 2022, 229.5 million metric tons of municipal solid waste (MSW; inclusive of electronic waste (e-waste), food waste, and healthcare waste) were generated in the European Union, amounting to 513 kg per person (European Commission, 2024). With the accumulation of MSW contributing to pollution, resource depletion, and greenhouse gas emissions (methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide), further exacerbating climate change, effective waste management becomes essential for safeguarding environmental sustainability, public health and global resource security. The MSW management challenge has set in motion European plans (Circular Economy Action Plan (European Commission, 2020) and Green Deal (European Commission, 2021)) and global strategies (Sustainable Development Goal 12; Responsible Consumption and Production (United Nations Development Programme, 2021)), aiming at waste reduction, efficient/systematic recycling and resource recovery through green-valorisation (eco-friendly technologies with use of green-chemistry). Execution of these plans requires the adoption of innovative practices by multiple-stakeholders, planting seeds for the development of sustainable circular economies. Thus, application of Innovative tools and methods, and integration of time-, energy- and cost-effective technologies in process intensification, are now more critical than ever for attaining sustainability goals. [excerpt]