Comprehensive Waste Management with Optimizing Green Technology in Sustainable Environment

Dear Colleagues,

Waste management encompasses the comprehensive process of efficiently handling and controlling discarded materials, from their point of origin to final disposal. This process involves various stages, including waste collection, transportation, and treatment. A well-designed waste management system incorporates recycling practices, which play a crucial role in reducing the extraction of virgin materials and promoting the principles of the circular economy. To achieve sustainable waste management, several key strategies have been identified, including refuse/rethink, resell/reuse, reduce, repair, remanufacture, refurbish, repurpose, recover, recycle, and re-mine. These strategies aim to mitigate pollution and prevent waste generation. However, the successful implementation of waste management systems requires innovative approaches such as vermicomposting and composting, and refuse drive fuel (RDF), which modernize and enhance their effectiveness through the use of technology. The escalating levels of waste products from various industries and sectors, such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture, logistics, and textiles, are a direct result of rapid industrialization and economic development. Projections indicate that solid waste production will reach a staggering 2.2 billion tons by 2025. Consequently, countries worldwide are implementing measures to minimize waste generation by adopting green and circular practices, which aim to close the supply chain loop. In essence, this entails transitioning from a linear production model that generates excessive waste to a circular economy that promotes resource efficiency. Circular practices are specifically focused on waste reduction at every stage of production, encompassing all levels of the supply chain. Their overarching goal is to improve sustainable performance. While the adoption of green and circular practices can significantly enhance resource utilization and waste management, technological innovation (TI) has also played a pivotal role in revolutionizing industrial operations and facilitating the effective implementation of these practices. Technological advancements have brought about transformative changes that complement and strengthen the adoption of green and circular principles. In conclusion, waste management is a multifaceted process that requires the integration of recycling practices and innovative approaches like vermicomposting/composting. The adoption of green and circular practices has become increasingly crucial given the escalating waste production resulting from global industrialization. These practices focus on reducing waste generation and improving sustainability at each level of the production process. Moreover, technological innovations have played a vital role in optimizing the implementation of green and circular practices, further enhancing their efficacy in waste management and resource utilization.

In this context, this Special Issue, titled “Comprehensive Waste Management with Optimizing Green Technology in Sustainable Environment”, aims to present cutting-edge information on various approaches to green technology, vermicomposting, optimization, challenges, and value-added products to maintain environmental sustainability. The scope of this Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following areas: ecotoxicology, solid waste management, sustainable agriculture, green technology, bioremediation, and vermicomposting from waste.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Waste and its associated problems;
• Risk associated with improper waste management;
• Bioconversion of organic waste for solid waste management and sustainable agriculture;
• Effect of recycling organic component of waste/agricultural waste on soil and plant;
• Waste management and agricultural amendments-soil microbial ecology;
• Management of urban solid waste: Vermicomposting a sustainable option;
• Vermicomposting of waste: a zero-waste approach for waste management;
• Transformation of biomass waste into sustainable organic fertilizers;
• Ecotoxicological status and risk assessment of heavy metals and other contaminants present in municipal solid wastes;
• Plastic waste management: challenges and opportunities;
• Microbiome-based waste management and bioremediation.

Dr. Rajeev Pratap Singh
Dr. Diganta B. Das
Dr. Pankaj Kumar Gupta
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• waste management
• microbiome
• vermicomposting
• refuse drive fuel
• sustainability
• green technology
• ecotoxicology
• technological innovation