Resource Recycling with the Aim of Achieving Zero-Waste Manufacturing

Omojola Awogbemi, Daramy Vandi Von Kallon and Kazeem Aderemi Bello
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Omojola Awogbemi: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Technology, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa
Daramy Vandi Von Kallon: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Technology, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa
Kazeem Aderemi Bello: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University, Oye 3600001, Nigeria

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-18

Abstract: The management of the huge amounts of waste generated from domestic and industrial activities has continued to be a source of concern for humanity globally because of its impact on the ecosystem and human health. Millions of tons of such used materials, substances, and products are therefore discarded, rejected, and abandoned, because they have no further usefulness or application. Additionally, owing to the dearth of affordable materials for various applications, the environmental impact of waste, and the high cost of procuring virgin materials, there have been intensive efforts directed towards achieving the reduction, minimization, and eradication of waste in human activities. The current review investigates zero-waste (ZW) manufacturing and the various techniques for achieving zero waste by means of resource recycling. The benefits and challenges of applying innovative technologies and waste recycling techniques in order to achieve ZW are investigated. Techniques for the conversion of waste glass, paper, metals, textiles, plastic, tire, and wastewater into various products are highlighted, along with their applications. Although waste conversion and recycling have several drawbacks, the benefits of ZW to the economy, community, and environment are numerous and cannot be overlooked. More investigations are desirable in order to unravel more innovative manufacturing techniques and innovative technologies for attaining ZW with the aim of pollution mitigation, waste reduction, cost-effective resource recovery, energy security, and environmental sustainability.

Keywords: zero waste; waste minimization; manufacturing; 4IR; waste recycling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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