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PurposeChina is the world’s largest producer and consumer of refined and reclaimed copper because of the rapid economic and industrial development of this country. However, only a few studies have analyzed the environmental impact of China’s copper industry. The current study analyzes the life cycle environmental impact of copper production in China.MethodsA life cycle impact assessment using the ReCiPe method was conducted to estimate the environmental impact of refined and reclaimed copper production in China. Uncertainty analysis was also performed based on the Monte-Carlo simulation.Results and discussionThe environmental impact of refined copper was higher than that of reclaimed copper in almost all categories except for human toxicity because of the direct atmospheric arsenic emission during the copper recycling stage. The overall environmental impact for the refined copper production was mainly attributed to metal depletion, freshwater ecotoxicity, marine ecotoxicity, and water depletion potential impact. By contrast, that for the reclaimed copper production was mainly caused by human toxicity impact.ConclusionsResults show that the reclaimed copper scenario had approximately 59 to 99% more environmental benefits than those of the refined copper scenario in most key categories except for human toxicity, in which a similar environmental burden was observed between both scenarios. The key factors that reduce the overall environmental impact for China’s copper industry include decreasing direct heavy metal emissions in air and water, increasing the national recycling rate of copper, improving electricity consumption efficiency, replacing coal with clean energy sources for electricity production, and optimizing the efficiency of copper ore mining and consumption.

As the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on consumer behavior has attracted increasing attention, researchers have begun to explore the mechanisms through which CSR influences consumer decision-making. This study explored how consumers’ perception of CSR affects their purchase intention by constructing a multilevel model, focusing on the mediating role of environmental benefit perception and the moderating role of value orientation and corporate environmental performance. Based on 445 consumer data and multi-industry environmental performance data, this study finds that consumers’ CSR perception has a significant positive effect on purchase intention, and environmental benefit perception plays a partial mediating role in this relationship. At the same time, CSR belief in CSR implementation (CSR-CA) and the overall environmental performance of the industry have a significant moderating effect on CSR effect. When consumers have a high trust in a company’s ability or the industry has a good environmental performance, the impact of CSR behavior is more significant. However, the moderating effect of consumers’ value orientation on the relationship between CSR and environmental benefit perception is not significant. The results of this study provide practical suggestions for enterprises to implement CSR strategies in different contexts, and emphasize the key role of enterprise capability belief and industry environmental performance in the effectiveness of CSR strategies.

The primary objective of this study is to assess and establish benchmarks for environmental and economic sustainability of biological and advanced biological wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with different treatment technologies and characteristics. Furthermore, the study aims to determine the beneficial role of WWTPs to reduction of eutrophication potential. Environmental and economic sustainability of ten municipal WWTPs was assessed using life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC). In the first section of the study, LCA was performed to determine the environmental performance of the WWTPs. Furthermore, net environmental benefit (NEB) approach was implemented to reveal the beneficial role of WWTPs to eutrophication potential. In the subsequent section, LCA-based LCC was conducted by integrating the results of LCA. The most significant environmental impact was determined as marine aquatic ecotoxicity, which is highly affected from the generation and transmission of electricity consumed in the WWTPs. Wastewater recovery and co-incineration of sewage sludge in cement kiln ensure significant environmental savings on ozone layer depletion, human toxicity, acidification, photochemical oxidation, and abiotic depletion (fossil fuel) potential. Considering NEB approach, the highest NEB values were found for the WWTPs with the higher organic load and nutrient concentration in the influent. The results of LCC in WWTPs varied between 0.21 and 0.53 €/m 3 . External (environmental) costs were evaluated higher than internal (operational) costs for all selected WWTPs. While eutrophication was the highest among environmental costs, electricity cost was the highest among operational costs for almost all WWTPs.

Due to industrialization, soil heavy metal pollution is a growing concern, with humic substances (HS) playing a pivotal role in soil passivation. To address the long duration of the compost humification problem, coal fly ash (CFA) in situ catalyzes the rapid pyrolysis of the cotton stalk (CS) to produce HS to address Cd passivation. Results indicate that the highest yield of humic acid (HA) (8.42%) and fulvic acid (FA) (1.36%) is obtained when the CS to CFA mass ratio is 1:0.5, at 275 ℃ for 120 min. Further study reveals that CFA catalysis CS humification, through the creation of alkaline pyrolysis conditions, Fe 2 O 3 can stimulate the protein and the decomposition of hemicellulose in CS, and then, through the Maillard and Sugar-amine condensation reaction synthesis HA and FA. Applying HS-CS&CFA in Cd-contaminated soil demonstrates a 26.69% reduction in exchangeable Cd within 30 days by chemical complexation. Excellent maize growth effects and environmental benefits of HS products are the prerequisites for subsequent engineering applications. Similar industrial solid wastes, such as steel slag and red mud, rich in Fe 2 O 3 , can be explored to identify their catalytic humification effect. It could provide a novel and effective way for industrial solid wastes to be recycled for biomass humification and widely applied in remediating Cd-contaminated agricultural soil.

This research aims to study the factors influencing energy saving intention and behavior of households. This study applied the behavioral reasoning theory (BRT), adapting it by integrating household norm as a factor in the global motives (including attitude towards energy saving, perceived behavioral control (PBC) and household norm). A mixed-mode survey (online and paper-based) was implemented to collect data from households, and partial least square structural equation modeling was used for data analysis. The results show that the BRT framework is useful to enhance the predicting capability for energy saving intention and behavior. Reasons-for (financial and environmental benefits) played a strong significant role affecting global motives, and energy saving intention, while reasons-against (energy saving cost), caused negligible impacts. This research also authenticated the significant effects of the global motives on energy saving intention. Another significant result was that household norm had strong impacts on both energy saving intention and behavior and contributed considerably to energy saving behavior prediction.

This paper constructs a green supply chain with a manufacturer and a retailer. Taking into account the reference price effect of consumers based on the mental accounting theory, we investigate the following government incentive policies: R&D (research and development) subsidy, consumption subsidy, and dual subsidy. For manufacturer-led (M-led) and retailer-led (R-led) supply chains, we evaluate the optimal wholesale price, sales price, green degree of product, and the optimal subsidy of the government aiming to improve the environmental benefit or social welfare. We find that the government goal, power structure and reference price effect impact the design of subsidy mechanisms significantly. First, for M-led supply chain, the government concerned with the environmental benefit goal should only provide R&D subsidy for the manufacturer when the reference price effect is low; otherwise, the government would offer subsidy both for the manufacturer and consumers. However, the government will only offer R&D subsidy when the social welfare goal is adopted. Second, for R-led supply chain, the government aiming to improve the environmental benefit prefers dual subsidy when the reference price effect is low; otherwise, consumption subsidy is preferable. Surprisingly, under the social welfare goal, no subsidy for R-led supply chain tends to be the best option. Intriguingly, embracing the social welfare goal can result in more economic and environmental benefits for M-led supply chain, although the subsidy strategy is less effective than the environmental benefit goal. Our research can provide inspirations and references for designing government subsidy mechanisms in practice.

Many urbanized areas in tropical climate regions are coping with water contamination due to inadequate sewage collection, particularly in communities that inhabit marginal land of rapid-growth. Relying on large-scale Waste-Water Treatment Plants -WWTPs and implementation of traditional sewage collection infrastructures have proven limited success to cope with the mentioned problem. Alternatives based on Nature-based Solutions - NbS, have the potential to deliver des-centralized treatment as well as additional socio-environmental benefits for the improvement of urban poor conditions. This research focused on modelling cost-efficiency and environmental performance of Nb-S implemented in fast-growing urban areas of the developing countries. A Horizontal Sub-Surface Flow Constructed Wetland - HSSF-CW is proposed to perform as complementary cost-effective decentralized treatment of local sewage. P-K-C* model is applied as sizing approach of the system for a 60% minimum removal of Biological Oxygen Demand - BOD in the influent. Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) has been used to analyse the feasibility of the CW proposal with environmental performance of CW modelled through shadow prices methodology. Shadow prices of contaminants, i.e. phosphorus, nitrogen and BOD, act as a proxy of environmental benefit in monetary units, allowing to include the environmental performance of CW into CBA. This new method combines both P-K-C* sizing approach and environmental performance through shadow prices to enhance best allocation of resources for water treatment.

This study explores psychological and behavioral pathways in pro-environmental behaviors. Given the mixed evidence on how environmental concerns influence solar PV adoption, this research examines the mediating role of perceived environmental benefits in shaping attitudes toward behavior. Employing a quantitative approach, survey data from 160 respondents were empirically assessed to delineate the interrelationships among perceived environmental concerns, perceived environmental benefits, and behavioral attitudes in the context of solar PV adoption in Indonesia. The results suggest that while attitudes toward behavior are influenced by perceived environmental concern, stronger impact occurs through the mediation of perceived environmental benefits. Although the direct effects are significant, they are comparatively weaker, suggesting that while value orientation and ethics serve as motivational factors, they are not the primary drivers of adoption. This study contributes to the discourse on solar PV adoption as part of a carbon neutrality strategy by highlighting the tangible benefits of an eco-friendly approach to renewable energy. Furthermore, it provides insights for policymakers to enhance communication strategies that improve public perception of environmental benefits, ultimately fostering greater acceptance of renewable technologies. Future research should further explore these relationships across diverse empirical contexts and integrate them into broader discussions on sustainability.

Riverbank erosion is an important topic in environmental research. Although several methods have been used to prevent erosion and balance ecosystems, both are still very challenging issues. We propose three different adaptation approaches to control riverbank erosion in the steppe area. The area has been affected by dramatic erosion over the past several years due to water flow and other external effects. The approaches were based on bioengineering and mechanical methods that were different in terms of the erosion rate and slope of the riverbank, the velocity and intensity of water flow, and the mechanical properties of the soil and plant species. Cost–benefit analysis (CBA) and sensitivity analysis were applied to estimate and compare the approaches. The most appropriate approaches were selected by comparing the net present value (NPV), the benefit–cost ratio, and the internal rate of return, which are the main indicators of CBA. The CBA results indicated that all the approaches had positive benefits in 2020–2030. The most economically and environmentally beneficial approach was Approach-3 (bioengineering method). A Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the NPV of Approach-3 was positive in both scenarios of the pessimistic and optimistic cases of the discount rate. Monte Carlo analysis with 500 simulations was performed to obtain the future NPV. The results reveal that bioengineering methods for riverbank erosion control have higher environmental benefits and are more suitable in steppe areas.

Soil fertility management is one of the most important factors affecting crop production. The use of organic manures, including green manure, is an important strategy to maintain and/or improve soil fertility for sustainable crop production. Green manure generally refers to crops that can provide fertilizer sources for agricultural cash crops and improve soil productivity. The application of green manure is a traditional and valuable practice for agroecosystem management, particularly in paddy systems where green manure is rotated with rice. This paper systematically reviews the effects of green manure on soil microenvironments and greenhouse gas emissions, and the role of green manure in the phytoremediation of paddy fields. The paper concludes that green manure can not only affect soil nutrients and the microbial community, but also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance soil remediation to some extent. Moreover, this review provides theoretical guidance on the selection of green manure germplasm and tillage methods for paddy fields of different climates and textures. However, this review only provides a macro-overview of the effects of green manure on soil nutrients, greenhouse gas emissions, and soil remediation in rice paddies based on a large number of previous studies, and does not provide a comprehensive quantitative assessment due to differences in green manure varieties and soil texture. The prospects for quantitative analysis of the ecological and economic effects of the sustainable development of green manure cultivation are discussed.