Decarbonization in waste recycling industry using digitalization to promote net-zero emissions and its implications on sustainability

Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan; Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman; Xue Liang; Hui Hwang Goh; Petros Gikas; Tutuk Djoko Kusworo; Abdelkader Anouzla; Kit Wayne Chew

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117765

Decarbonization in waste recycling industry using digitalization to promote net-zero emissions and its implications on sustainability

J Environ Manage. 2023 Jul 15:338:117765. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117765. Epub 2023 Mar 23.

Authors

Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan¹, Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman², Xue Liang³, Hui Hwang Goh³, Petros Gikas⁴, Tutuk Djoko Kusworo⁵, Abdelkader Anouzla⁶, Kit Wayne Chew⁷

Affiliations

¹ College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, Fujian, China. Electronic address: tonni@xmu.edu.cn.
² Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Johor Bahru, Skudai, Malaysia.
³ School of Electrical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China.
⁴ Technical University of Crete, School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Chania, Greece.
⁵ Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Diponegoro University, Semarang, 50275, Indonesia.
⁶ Department of Process Engineering and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology, University Hassan II of Casablanca, Mohammedia, Morocco.
⁷ School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, 637459, Singapore.

PMID: 36965421
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117765

Abstract

Digitalization and sustainability have been considered as critical elements in tackling a growing problem of solid waste in the framework of circular economy (CE). Although digitalization can enhance time-efficiency and/or cost-efficiency, their end-results do not always lead to sustainability. So far, the literatures still lack of a holistic view in understanding the development trends and key roles of digitalization in waste recycling industry to benefit stakeholders and to protect the environment. To bridge this knowledge gap, this work systematically investigates how leveraging digitalization in waste recycling industry could address these research questions: (1) What are the key problems of solid waste recycling? (2) How the trends of digitalization in waste management could benefit a CE? (3) How digitalization could strengthen waste recycling industry in a post-pandemic era? While digitalization boosts material flows in a CE, it is evident that utilizing digital solutions to strengthen waste recycling business could reinforce a resource-efficient, low-carbon, and a CE. In the Industry 4.0 era, digitalization can add 15% (about USD 15.7 trillion) to global economy by 2030. As digitalization grows, making the waste sector shift to a CE could save between 30% and 35% of municipalities' waste management budget. With digitalization, a cost reduction of 3.6% and a revenue increase of 4.1% are projected annually. This would contribute to USD 493 billion in an increasing revenue yearly in the next decade. As digitalization enables tasks to be completed shortly with less manpower, this could save USD 421 billion annually for the next decade. With respect to environmental impacts, digitalization in the waste sector could reduce global CO₂ emissions by 15% by 2030 through technological solutions. Overall, this work suggests that digitalization in the waste sector contributes net-zero emission to a digital economy, while transitioning to a sustainable world as its social impacts.

Keywords: Circular economy; Digitalization; E-Waste; Net-zero emission; Resource recovery; Zero waste.

MeSH terms

Cities
Environment
Industry
Recycling
Solid Waste*
Waste Management* / methods

Substances

Solid Waste