Papers by Mário Ramos
Sustainable Futues, 2024
The textile industry is one of the largest worldwide and also one responsible for important envir... more The textile industry is one of the largest worldwide and also one responsible for important environmental impacts. In this context, it is mandatory for European Member States to implement municipal schemes for the separate collection of textile waste by January 2025. The municipality of Cascais, in Portugal, was selected as a case study to determine the factors to consider when implementing it. A field survey was carried out to validate the existing collection points (CP) for used clothing, showing that 0.98 CP are available per km 2 , with 1 CP per 2,254 residents. In addition, interviews with stakeholders demonstrated that: cooperation between entities is missing, although charities have been working in the field for several years with good results; there is the absence of data about the amount of used clothing collected; and less than 50% of used clothing collected is suitable for reuse. Furthermore, a questionnaire was submitted to the residents, separating the sample into frequent users and non-users or infrequent users of CP. The results show that residents, predominantly, suggest that more equipment must be made available. Also, awareness campaigns ought to focus on clarifying uncertainties about the waste collection services, in general, and for the separate collection of textile waste, particularly, because doubts persist. Neither group is entirely sure about the destination of the used clothes donated and, in this case, it is important to reinforce information leading to confidence in its use, to avoid, for instance, households storing unused clothes, hindering their reuse.
Waste Management, 2017
The need to increase packaging recycling rates has led to the study and analysis of recycling sch... more The need to increase packaging recycling rates has led to the study and analysis of recycling schemes from various perspectives, including technical, economic, social, and environmental. This paper is part one of a three-part study devoted to comparing two recyclable packaging waste collection systems operating in western Portugal: a mixed collection system, where curbside and drop-off collections are operated simultaneously (but where the curbside system was introduced after the drop-off system), and an exclusive drop-off system. This part of the study focuses on analyzing the operation and performance of the two waste collection systems. The mixed collection system is shown to yield higher material separation rates, higher recycling rates, and lower contamination rates compared with the exclusive drop-off system, a result of the curbside component in the former system. However, the operational efficiency of the curbside collection in the mixed system is lower than the drop-off collection in the mixed system and the exclusive drop-off system, mainly because of inefficiency of collection. A key recommendation is to ensure that the systems should be optimized in an attempt to improve performance. Optimization should be applied not only to logistical aspects but also to citizens’ participation, which could be improved by conducting curbside collection awareness campaigns in the neighborhoods that have a mixed system.
Waste Management, 2018
Research on waste prevention and management at green festivals is scarce. The present study helps... more Research on waste prevention and management at green festivals is scarce. The present study helps to fill this gap by analyzing waste prevention/reduction and management measures implemented at the Andanças festival, Portugal. Waste characterization campaigns and a questionnaire survey were conducted during the festival. The results show that the largest amount of waste generated was residual waste, followed by food and kitchen waste and packaging waste. The amount of waste generated per person per day at the festival was lower than that of other festivals for both the entire venue and the canteen. Concerning food and kitchen waste generated at the canteen, the amounts are in accordance with the findings of previous studies, but the amount of the edible fraction is comparatively low. Source separation rates are high, in line with other festivals that engage in food-waste source separation. Factors affecting the participation of attendees in waste prevention measures at the festival are the type of participant, their region of origin, the frequency of visits, and whether they are attending as a family. Efforts must be made to increase the awareness of attendees about waste prevention measures, to develop guidelines and methods to quantify the waste prevention measures, and to formulate policies aimed at increasing the application of the zero-waste principle at festivals.
Environmental Challenges, 2024
The Deposit and Refund System (DRS) has demonstrated its effectiveness as a powerful economic ins... more The Deposit and Refund System (DRS) has demonstrated its effectiveness as a powerful economic instrument to help to achieve the European targets for packaging waste recycling, whilst simultaneously ensuring the collection of higher-quality materials for the production of new beverage bottles. In Portugal, a pilot DRS project focusing on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) beverage packaging was implemented by the government to gain insights and experience before the introduction of the mandatory system, which will include other materials. The pilot project involved 23 Reverse Vending Machines (RVM) in supermarkets across mainland Portugal, with a questionnaire assessing behaviour changes in users and non-users. Results from 1,490 responses indicated significant public support for the future DRS and its extension to other packaging materials. Various incentives were applied to the DRS to understand the effects throughout the pilot. The economic incentive proved key to the pilot's success, as it motivated consumers to participate, actively recycling. Consequently, it is expected that the DRS will increase recycling participation rates. Two other factors that contributed to the success of the DRS were the location of the RVM and the effectiveness of communication with the public, impacting their perception of and engagement with the system. The results provided important data for planning the future national strategy, which may also be of interest to other similar realities.
Heliyon, 2024
Countries that have a Deposit and Refund System (DRS) show high rates of selective beverage packa... more Countries that have a Deposit and Refund System (DRS) show high rates of selective beverage packaging waste collection, indicating that it is a powerful economic instrument for achieving the European packaging recycling targets. DRS ensure that collected material is of a sufficiently high quality to be incorporated into new products. In Portugal, the Government has decided to implement a DRS for non-reusable beverage packaging as a strategy to increase the packaging recycling rate, which is currently considerably lower than the mandatory European targets. To acquire knowledge and experience for the design and implementation of the future DRS, a pilot project was carried out with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) beverage packaging, using 23 Reverse Vending Machines (RVM) installed at supermarkets across mainland Portugal. The authors monitored the DRS pilot project between March 2020 and December 2022. The main objectives were to determine operational indicators and evaluate the characteristics and quality of the PET deposited, using both the data recorded by the RVM and a characterisation of the packages contained in a sample of 46 bags. The results provided important data for planning the Portuguese strategy, which may also support operational or political decisions in countries in similar contexts. Whilst the recycling plants that received the material collected in these RVM confirmed that its quality allows for the production of PET food-grade flakes, this research identified a need to improve the design of packaging and to communicate this with producers, to better allow for the incorporation of recycled material into food beverage packaging.
Journal of Building Engineering, 2024
Selective demolition (or deconstruction) is important for achieving efficient circular principles... more Selective demolition (or deconstruction) is important for achieving efficient circular principles in the construction sector, involving various stakeholders in the whole life cycle of buildings. Several studies have been conducted in recent years about it, but an assessment concerning the stakeholders involved was never undertaken to explore the criteria chosen here. This study aims to explore the practices of companies, but also the perception of individuals regarding this theme. A Portuguese case study was chosen, submitting an online structured questionnaire. As a result, 79 responses were received and an independent variable concerning profession was selected to divide the sample into three groups (architects, engineers, and other staff), to explore whether statistical differences between groups exist. Regarding the activity of companies, 22.8% have never conducted a selective demolition process, and the remaining respondents predominantly do so due to contract specifications. Also, 37.7% of respondents confirmed a need to subcontract, demonstrating dependence on cooperation. Assessing individual perceptions, architects have a more accurate understanding of the concept of selective demolition in the life cycle of buildings, and yet clearly state a greater need for information and awareness regarding the process than engineers and other staff. Architects also identified, most firmly, the need to promote the design of construction materials that better facilitate reuse and recycling. These results are relevant to decision making processes and for effective policy design, to form strategies that boost selective demolition, using a behavioural change approach, identifying a need to reinforce education and awareness, for instance about pre-demolition audits.
Waste Management, 2021
Due to the relevance of construction and demolition waste (CDW) generation for circular economy a... more Due to the relevance of construction and demolition waste (CDW) generation for circular economy and reduction of environmental impacts, it is important to evaluate the factors leading to constraints regarding waste. Previous researchers have assessed construction company attitudes and behaviors toward CDW management, but factors such as the presence of environmental technicians, registration of the CDW generated, commitment to the legal framework, the subcontracting regime, and construction works’ oversight were rarely addressed in terms of the differences existing within the construction sector. Thus, the objective of this research is to evaluate the relationship of these factors with construction company size. A questionnaire was sent to Portuguese construction companies, and 652 responded. The sample was divided into three groups: micro, small, and medium/large companies. Statistical data treatment was carried out to assess whether there were statistically significant differences in the mentioned factors between groups. The main conclusions highlight: the prevalence of environmental technicians working in larger companies; the registration on waste platforms being only performed consistently by medium/large companies; a considerable proportion of micro and small companies having knowledge gaps about the practices adopted; the responsibility for CDW management within the subcontracting regime being mainly from subcontractors; and the presence of a gap regarding onsite construction works oversight. These differences lead to the need to reevaluate the strategies for CDW management and adapt the strategies to the specific conditions of the construction sector, including the size of construction companies.
Journal of Building Engineering, 2022
For a circular economy approach in the construction sector, it is important to understand the val... more For a circular economy approach in the construction sector, it is important to understand the value of using recycled materials in buildings and other constructions, reducing the extraction of natural resources, as well as the generation of construction and demolition waste. The role of construction companies is relevant in the sense that they are one of the main actors for this change. However, the differences within the sector, namely the size of the construction companies, can make it hard to implement, so it is essential to understand the factos influencing it. To this end, a structured questionnaire survey was submitted to Portuguese construction companies, dividing the sample of 652 answers into three groups (micro, small, and medium/large companies). Data treatment was carried out to determine whether there are significant statistical differences between groups regarding the use of recycled materials. Their use is carried out by most of the companies, in all groups, with the factors in favor related to the internal practices of the companies, and the against factors associated with market availability. For recycled aggregates, in particular, there is a weak self-evaluation of knowledge about these materials. Furthermore, there is a risk perception in terms of confidence in its use. These conclusions are important for the definition of differentiating strategies to promote and improve the use of recycled materials by construction companies.
Resources, Conservation & Recycling Advances, 2023
On a local scale, municipalities often incur high costs as a result of the illegal dumping of con... more On a local scale, municipalities often incur high costs as a result of the illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste (CDW), due to gaps in awareness and training, a lack of adequate oversight actions or infrastructure and equipment. Moreover, there is a loss of resources, failing to close the loop of the circular economy. Six participatory workshops were implemented in 2021, via videoconference due to the Covid-19 pandemic, in a rural Portuguese region, to understand the contribution of local scale dynamics in the promotion of CDW management from an operational perspective. Three of them were dedicated to municipal technicians (39 participants, on average) and the other three to representatives of micro and small construction companies (25 participants, on average). The results reveal that strategies must rely on investment in local solutions to optimise logistics and cost issues, cooperation between stakeholders, and improving the market for recycled aggregates. Also, support for information, awareness, and training is essential, focusing on good practices onsite and oversight procedures. Additionally, municipalities were involved in the prioritisation of legal framework issues, and micro and small construction companies concerning the determinants contributing for their behaviour change. These findings contribute to solving gaps in the literature, useful for researchers and decision-makers in rural or less developed areas.
Cleaner Waste Systems, 2023
Addressing the illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste (CDW) is challenging because ... more Addressing the illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste (CDW) is challenging because there are significant costs associated with clean-up actions but, for many local authorities, no data is available to describe this reality and to support the decision-making process. This research is focused on how to study the dynamic of CDW dumpsites, characterising these occurrences in order to understand the factors that influence them and to raise awareness to the problem with the results obtained. It involved the municipalities of a rural region, with scant infrastructure for CDW treatment, in monthly observations of the aforementioned sites. In total, 136 dumpsites were observed, with 65% of them located on public-owned land. For these dumpsites, 18 thousand tonnes of CDW were estimated, of which 59% correspond to the mineral fraction. The cost of removing the abandoned CDW was estimated at between €84 and €99 per tonne, with the component directly associated with municipal resources estimated at around 28% of the total. During the one-year monitoring period, 26 new dumpsites were observed, and 156 tonnes per month of CDW were recorded. Performance indicators demonstrated that the municipalities with some type of local solution for CDW management report less illegal dumping. These findings are relevant for filling the gaps in data about the illegal dumping of CDW on local scales and in less developed countries, supporting decision-making processes. In terms of research, the results address gaps in the literature since there is scarce data about these occurrences.
Waste Management, 2023
Achieving a broad analysis of construction and demolition waste (CDW) management without consider... more Achieving a broad analysis of construction and demolition waste (CDW) management without considering local scale dynamics, and its detailed characteristics, is a constraint that has made it challenging to optimally engage in an integrated assessment of the circular economy principles in the construction sector. In this sense, this research demonstrates that investing in local strategies is important, involving municipalities and micro and small construction companies. Firstly, the results reveal the importance of having controlled sites, under local responsibility, for the preliminary storage of CDW, creating in waste producers the habit of separating waste onsite, reducing costs and limitations for municipalities. Secondly, frequent supervision actions at construction sites are also important at this scale, as they facilitate progress in terms of encouraging compliance with mandatory legal procedures and good practices for CDW management. But it is easier to improve practice through direct onsite procedures than it is with bureaucratic legal requirements alone. Thirdly, procedural control, implemented by municipal technicians in conjunction with other strategies, also helps to promote CDW management, this being associated with processes of public and private construction works subjected to license or prior control, in opposition to what has been accomplished so far. But the research also demonstrated that regular awareness, training, and supervision actions might increase the likelihood of improvements in behaviour on the local scale, in the sense that stakeholders acquire new habits, which, over time, might lead to better results locally and, as a consequence, influence other scales of intervention.
Conference Presentations by Mário Ramos
Wastes: Solutions, Treatments and Opportunities III, 2019
This study used the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology embedded in environmental product dec... more This study used the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology embedded in environmental product declaration (EPD) to quantify the environmental impact related to the production of recycled aggregates from construction and demolition waste. The software Umberto LCA+ was used, and the impact assessment was made using several impact categories established in EPD norm for construction materials from DAP Habitat system (EPD for Portuguese construction materials). The results showed that 1 t of recycled aggregates have impacts on the environment, resulting mostly from transportation of waste aggregates into the recycling plant. More research is needed to improve the environmental performance of the recycled aggregates, like comparing them with virgin aggregates. The landfilling of waste aggregates must be compared with the recycled aggregates to demonstrate the environmental benefits of such circular economy process. Other destinations of the recycled aggregates instead of the use at road construction should also be addressed in future research.
ISWA Worlds Congress, 2014
In 2008, Portuguese national legislation was created to regulate construction and demolition wast... more In 2008, Portuguese national legislation was created to regulate construction and demolition waste (CDW). The present work intends to show how CDW management has been conducted in Portugal since then. To do so, a case study at the North Interior Region of Portugal was selected to be analyzed. The work was conducted during 2012 and the methodology involved construct sector characterization and analysis of actual CDW management practices. A survey was conducted to municipalities and construction companies, and interviews were made to private waste operators. Other entities were also invited to collaborate. The main results highlighted problems related with the integration of the several stakeholders, dissemination of legal information and legislation issues. Concerning the stakeholders' integration, it was notorious that CDW could be used often to recover old quarries and mines at the region. In terms of legal information diffusion, small construction companies do not have technical support to answer to the regulation requirements. In relation to legislation issues, companies up to 10 workers are not obligated to participate at national registration system, making difficult to quantify CDW generated by such producers. At the end, a list of proposal to help stakeholders to implement legislation and legislation improvements are suggested. The Portuguese experience can be an example of the challenges to implement and control CDW management.
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Papers by Mário Ramos
Conference Presentations by Mário Ramos