Decarbonization in waste recycling industry using digitalization to promote net-zero emissions and its implications on sustainability
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 f...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2023
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/172344 |
| _version_ | 1811685012697776128 |
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| author | Kurniawan, Tonni Agustiono Othman, Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Liang, Xue Goh, Hui Hwang Gikas, Petros Kusworo, Tutuk Djoko Anouzla, Abdelkader Chew, Kit Wayne |
| author2 | School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology |
| author_facet | School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Kurniawan, Tonni Agustiono Othman, Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Liang, Xue Goh, Hui Hwang Gikas, Petros Kusworo, Tutuk Djoko Anouzla, Abdelkader Chew, Kit Wayne |
| author_sort | Kurniawan, Tonni Agustiono |
| collection | NTU |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-10-01T04:37:46Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | ntu-10356/172344 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-10-01T04:37:46Z |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/1723442023-12-06T06:53:03Z Decarbonization in waste recycling industry using digitalization to promote net-zero emissions and its implications on sustainability Kurniawan, Tonni Agustiono Othman, Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Liang, Xue Goh, Hui Hwang Gikas, Petros Kusworo, Tutuk Djoko Anouzla, Abdelkader Chew, Kit Wayne School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Engineering::Chemical engineering Circular Economy Digitalization 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. The support from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) via Research Grant No. Q.J130000.21A6.00P14 and No. Q.J130000.3809.22H07 and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) through a Fellowship for Visiting Experts (FR3240322700) are gratefully acknowledged. 2023-12-06T06:53:03Z 2023-12-06T06:53:03Z 2023 Journal Article Kurniawan, T. A., Othman, M. H. D., Liang, X., Goh, H. H., Gikas, P., Kusworo, T. D., Anouzla, A. & Chew, K. W. (2023). Decarbonization in waste recycling industry using digitalization to promote net-zero emissions and its implications on sustainability. Journal of Environmental Management, 338, 117765-. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117765 0301-4797 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/172344 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117765 36965421 2-s2.0-85150906585 338 117765 en Journal of Environmental Management © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. |
| spellingShingle | Engineering::Chemical engineering Circular Economy Digitalization Kurniawan, Tonni Agustiono Othman, Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Liang, Xue Goh, Hui Hwang Gikas, Petros Kusworo, Tutuk Djoko Anouzla, Abdelkader Chew, Kit Wayne Decarbonization in waste recycling industry using digitalization to promote net-zero emissions and its implications on sustainability |
| title | Decarbonization in waste recycling industry using digitalization to promote net-zero emissions and its implications on sustainability |
| title_full | Decarbonization in waste recycling industry using digitalization to promote net-zero emissions and its implications on sustainability |
| title_fullStr | Decarbonization in waste recycling industry using digitalization to promote net-zero emissions and its implications on sustainability |
| title_full_unstemmed | Decarbonization in waste recycling industry using digitalization to promote net-zero emissions and its implications on sustainability |
| title_short | Decarbonization in waste recycling industry using digitalization to promote net-zero emissions and its implications on sustainability |
| title_sort | decarbonization in waste recycling industry using digitalization to promote net zero emissions and its implications on sustainability |
| topic | Engineering::Chemical engineering Circular Economy Digitalization |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/172344 |
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