The purpose of this study is to explore remanufacturing as a sustainable waste management strategy for discarded clothing that may otherwise be directed to landfill. The central notion is that this is a response to the EU Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC which encourages the application of the 'waste hierarchy' - preference to eliminate waste at source, then, to reduce, reuse or recycle waste, and if impossible or impracticable, disposal in a responsible manner. Remanufacturing retrieves a product's inherent value when the product no longer fulfils the user's desired needs. The use of discarded clothes in a remanufacturing process could decrease clothing waste and contribute to resource conservation. Despite this, there has been little research into what is actually involved in the fashion remanufacturing process and how the process could be up-scalable to the mass market in order to have bigger environmental impact. A conceptual network consisting of textile sorters and recyclers, fashion remanufacturers and fashion retailers is examined through qualitative research. Experiential research and in-depth interviews were used to understand the process of fashion remanufacturing and the relationships that needed to be developed to up-scale the process in to mass market level. The fashion design process, as experienced by the designer, was described and the process models for individual processes were constructed and compared. The results of the comparison indicated a generic design process in fashion remanufacturing, showing the key phases. The generic remanufacturing process was compared with the mass market fashion design process to identify issues inherent when considering developing the process for mass market level and the potential for developing the conceptual framework was also examined. The originality of the investigation is that it identified the relationships between three key players in the conceptual network. A key factor that could account for business growth is the collaboration among key players along the reverse supply chain. The extent of business growth is dependent on the commitment and involvement of large fashion retailers.

Modern lifestyle has increased the amount of solid and liquid waste that humans create. There are issues associated with pollution and disposal. Adaptation of technologies from the developed world often does not provide the required solutions. This thesis describes an attempt at finding an ecologically and economically sustainable solution for waste management that is appropriate for poorer regions and remote areas. The proposed natural system is close to natural resources and uses biological waste processing methods that have proven to be saustainable. Available resources and low cost give an edge for such processes to be practical and realistic. The system is based on vermicomposting. Composting worms survive in the harsh environments found in most parts of the developing world. Areas for further research and process optimisation were identified that would pave the way for future endeavours towards development of a fully working model. The treatment system is shown to work and achieve the objectives of treating waste to usable products including worms for feed supplement, compost fertilizer and irrigation water. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Most prawns are prepared as frozen or canned meat and the remaining waste is used as a feed supplement or directly disposed on to the land, which affects the environment. Fresh prawn bio-waste contains protein, astaxanthin, flavor compounds and chitin. The use of chitin in various applications is limited due to its water insolubility. In this research, a new method is developed to prepare water-soluble colloidal chitin (WSCC) from prawn waste. WSCC having the percentage of degree of deacetylation same with that of chitin follows non-newtonian shear thinning behaviour. The characteristic study showed that the breakage of polymer chains during processing thus reduced the molecular weight and bulk density of WSCC. Therefore, functional properties of WSCC can be controlled by optimizing the processing conditions. Astaxanthin complex has attracted considerable interest in relation to its health benefits because of its powerful antioxidant activity. Traditional extraction of astaxanthin complex from prawn waste using organic solvents requires post-purification steps, creates solvent disposal problem and degrades the pigment. This research develops an efficient way of recovering astaxanthin complex from prawn waste that eliminates the problems associated with solvent extraction methods and offers possible recyclability of the solvents used. Post-harvest blackening in prawns adversely affects both quality and consumer acceptability. However, consumer safety over the chemicals, especially sulphites used in inhibiting prawn blackening is of a major concern. This study shows that the antioxidant, astaxanthin complex can inhibit the poly phenol oxidase (PPO) catalyzed blackening reaction in prawns. Although prawns have astaxanthin complex present in their natural state, its concentration in vivo may not be sufficient to act against PPO. Therefore, astaxanthin complex-enriched feed in prawn culture may prevent prawn melanosis and may eliminate the post-harvest handling methods.

<p> </p><p>The Swedwood Company is a supplier to IKEA of wood furniture. They have grown larger concurrently with IKEA and at present they have 47 production units spread over twelve countries of which most are located in Eastern Europe.</p><p>One of the factories is Zbaszynek which is located in Poland. They manufacture so called board-on-frame furniture. A board-on-frame is basically made out of particle board frames which are filled with special design paper that enfolds air. The frames are then covered with their skin; thinner particle boards, so called High Density Fibre (HDF) boards, and then edge banded with plastic stripes and painted and lacquered into desired design.</p><p>This production generates not only furniture, last financial year Zbaszynek generated about 61 000 tons wood waste too. It can be compared to their total production of furniture which reached 439 000 tons during the same period of time. This generation of wood waste has caused a problem for Swedwood in general. A project called IKEA Goes Renewable (IGR) has started within IKEA with the aim to reduce the electric- and heat energy consumption and increase the use of renewable energy sources. But to be able to reduce the heat energy at a board-on-frame factory, such as Zbaszynek, there has to be an economic incentive to do so. But the wood waste is contaminated in comparison with waste from pure wood (free from adhesives, plastics etc.) so purchasers have been hard to find. And since the wood waste is used to generate the heat at the factories, the economic value has become relative low. Zbaszynek earn 1.4 €/MWh for their wood waste at present (energy value of 5.1 MWh/ton), while for example recycled contaminated wood chippings (RT-chippings) are worth about 7.3 €/MWh in Sweden (energy value of 4.4-5.1 MWh/ton). RT-chippings in Sweden are even allowed to contain more contaminations to receive that price, as long as it is not pressure creosoted. 1.4 €/MWh can also be compared to the economic value of coal which is about 13.7 €/MWh, and for district heating to households in Sweden was the average price about 68 €/MWh during 2007 (Energimarknadsinspektionen, 2007).Therefore, the main task of this thesis has been to investigate if there are any possible solutions to increase the economic value of the wood waste in Zbaszynek. There are more board-on-frame factories within Swedwood with the same problem, but Zbaszynek has been the pilot factory during this research.</p><p>The first thing which should be considered in Zbaszynek is to keep the amount of waste as low as possible. The main task should be to reduce the amounts of wood waste; in the end it is a furniture factory and not a waste producer, which should be concerned before taking any further action. It is assumed though that this has already been thought through in Zbaszynek and further investigation of the waste has taken place.The wood waste has been sent to the Eurofins laboratory in Sweden for an analysis and the test results were then compared to wood waste of pure wood. The comparison indicates the nitrogen content being the main difference between Zbaszynek's wood waste and pure wood. Nitrogen compounds, often referred to as NO_x can cause severe damage to the environment and foremost lead to increased eutrophication (= Eutrofizacja (Polish) / Övergödning (Swedish)) when it is emitted to the air. Apart from the nitrogen contamination, other significant differences have not been found. The energy content of the wood waste has even revealed it would suit well as bio-fuel, on the condition that proper equipment to reduce the NO_x emissions is present. It has been calculated that the energy content, of the generated wood waste in Zbaszynek during Financial Year 2008, reached 310 GWh. Which can be compared to the electricity consumption of 78 GWh as was bought during the same time of period.</p><p>Four main possibilities have been investigated in this report and they are:</p><ul><li><p>- Selling the waste to cement producers as alternative fuel</p></li><li><p>- Make new products and use for furniture production again</p></li><li><p>- Make briquettes or pellets and sell as fuel</p></li><li><p>- Start up a Combined Heat and Power plant and produce electricity</p></li></ul><p>All these alternatives have their advantages and disadvantages but they all seem to be realistic solutions, on a few conditions.</p>

<p>Waste management is a global environmental issue which concerns about a very significant problem in today’s world. There is a considerable amount of disposal of waste without proper segregation which has lead to both economic and environment sufferings. It is still practiced in many cities. There is a tremendous amount of loss in terms of environmental degradation, health hazards and economic descend due to direct disposal of waste. It is better to segregate the waste at the initial stages where it is generated, rather than going for a later option which is inconvenient and expensive. There has to be appropriate planning for proper waste management by means of analysis of the waste situation of the area.</p><p>This paper would deal with, how Geographical Information System can be used as a decision support tool for planning waste management. A model is designed for the case study area in an Indian city for the purpose of planning waste management. The suggestions for amendments in the system through GIS based model would reduce the waste management workload to some extent and exhibit remedies for some of the SWM problems in the case study area. The waste management issues are considered to solve some of the present situation problems like proper allocation and relocation of waste bins, check for unsuitability and proximity convenience due to waste bin to the users, proposal of recyclable waste bins for the required areas and future suggestions. The model will be implemented on the Aurangabad city’s case study area data for the analysis and the results will suggest some modification in the existing system which is expected to reduce the waste management workload to a certain extent.</p>

Graduation date: 2004

Graduation date: 1995

Thesis (M.Sc.)--York University, 2004. Graduate Programme in Geography. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 98-103). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL:http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url%5Fver=Z39.88-2004&res%5Fdat=xri:pqdiss&rft%5Fval%5Ffmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft%5Fdat=xri:pqdiss:MQ99353

Swedish people today are generally interested in environmental issues. One can assume that this would affect the way people act in their daily lives. However, research has shown that when it comes to attitudes and behavior, there is what has been described as “a gap”. Concern for the environment does not automatically mean that people act in an environmentally friendly way. The fact is that there are many barriers that prevent a so-called pro environmental behavior. This study deals with some of the factors that can influence a specific behavior, namely the sorting of food waste in the City of Lidingö – a municipality in Sweden that works to increase the number of subscribers of food waste collection. The waste is a valuable substrate when producing biogas, which is considered a renewable fuel. By replacing fossil fuels with biogas, the amounts of greenhouse gases that reach the atmosphere can be reduced. A questionnaire was sent out to more than 800 local citizens (of which half of them are subscribers of food waste collection) with questions about values, beliefs, motivation factors and opinions about efforts linked to the sorting of food waste. The results show that sustainability reasons are strong when it comes to why people decide to sort out food waste, and that a number of the subscribers of food waste collection consider it a moral obligation to take action in this matter. Several barriers, especially in the form of economic issues, preclude others from sorting. A need for more information, when it comes to the significance of this behavior, is also evident. As the thesis has its focus on pro-environmental behavior, factors in Stern’s Value-belief-norm theory, are used as the basis for the analysis. Blake’s model of barriers between environmental concern and action is used when studying what it is that prevents people from sorting out their food waste.

The Swedwood Company is a supplier to IKEA of wood furniture. They have grown larger concurrently with IKEA and at present they have 47 production units spread over twelve countries of which most are located in Eastern Europe. One of the factories is Zbaszynek which is located in Poland. They manufacture so called board-on-frame furniture. A board-on-frame is basically made out of particle board frames which are filled with special design paper that enfolds air. The frames are then covered with their skin; thinner particle boards, so called High Density Fibre (HDF) boards, and then edge banded with plastic stripes and painted and lacquered into desired design. This production generates not only furniture, last financial year Zbaszynek generated about 61 000 tons wood waste too. It can be compared to their total production of furniture which reached 439 000 tons during the same period of time. This generation of wood waste has caused a problem for Swedwood in general. A project called IKEA Goes Renewable (IGR) has started within IKEA with the aim to reduce the electric- and heat energy consumption and increase the use of renewable energy sources. But to be able to reduce the heat energy at a board-on-frame factory, such as Zbaszynek, there has to be an economic incentive to do so. But the wood waste is contaminated in comparison with waste from pure wood (free from adhesives, plastics etc.) so purchasers have been hard to find. And since the wood waste is used to generate the heat at the factories, the economic value has become relative low. Zbaszynek earn 1.4 €/MWh for their wood waste at present (energy value of 5.1 MWh/ton), while for example recycled contaminated wood chippings (RT-chippings) are worth about 7.3 €/MWh in Sweden (energy value of 4.4-5.1 MWh/ton). RT-chippings in Sweden are even allowed to contain more contaminations to receive that price, as long as it is not pressure creosoted. 1.4 €/MWh can also be compared to the economic value of coal which is about 13.7 €/MWh, and for district heating to households in Sweden was the average price about 68 €/MWh during 2007 (Energimarknadsinspektionen, 2007).Therefore, the main task of this thesis has been to investigate if there are any possible solutions to increase the economic value of the wood waste in Zbaszynek. There are more board-on-frame factories within Swedwood with the same problem, but Zbaszynek has been the pilot factory during this research. The first thing which should be considered in Zbaszynek is to keep the amount of waste as low as possible. The main task should be to reduce the amounts of wood waste; in the end it is a furniture factory and not a waste producer, which should be concerned before taking any further action. It is assumed though that this has already been thought through in Zbaszynek and further investigation of the waste has taken place.The wood waste has been sent to the Eurofins laboratory in Sweden for an analysis and the test results were then compared to wood waste of pure wood. The comparison indicates the nitrogen content being the main difference between Zbaszynek's wood waste and pure wood. Nitrogen compounds, often referred to as NOx can cause severe damage to the environment and foremost lead to increased eutrophication (= Eutrofizacja (Polish) / Övergödning (Swedish)) when it is emitted to the air. Apart from the nitrogen contamination, other significant differences have not been found. The energy content of the wood waste has even revealed it would suit well as bio-fuel, on the condition that proper equipment to reduce the NOx emissions is present. It has been calculated that the energy content, of the generated wood waste in Zbaszynek during Financial Year 2008, reached 310 GWh. Which can be compared to the electricity consumption of 78 GWh as was bought during the same time of period. Four main possibilities have been investigated in this report and they are: - Selling the waste to cement producers as alternative fuel - Make new products and use for furniture production again - Make briquettes or pellets and sell as fuel - Start up a Combined Heat and Power plant and produce electricity All these alternatives have their advantages and disadvantages but they all seem to be realistic solutions, on a few conditions.