Due to its significant environmental impact, the wine industry is one of the most analyzed agri-food sectors in terms of sustainability. These include waste emission, intensive land use, and high transport-related carbon footprint. The circular economy represents an opportunity to mitigate these impacts by promoting the valorization of wine waste. Through a systematic literature review, this research provides an overview of studies from 2018 to 2024 that deal with the transformation of wine waste, in particular vinification residues, into resources. The research covers the commodity sectors in which wine waste is reused, such as Food, Agriculture, and Energy. The analysis of the sample reveals that the countries in which the issue of valorization of wine waste is most studied are Italy, Spain, and Portugal. The study encourages a better integration of waste in the wine sector into business practices by assessing the environmental and economic impact. From a management point of view, the aim is to inform companies about effective waste management practices in order to promote the development of a more sustainable wine industry. Future research will focus on evaluating the effectiveness of these valorization pathways, also through case studies of good practice in implementing a circular business model.

Surface runoff in mining areas transports dissolved and suspended particles into water bodies, known as mine spoil rainwater, contributing to increases in turbidity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of horizontal flow wetlands, free water surface (FWS), and subsurface flow (HSSF) in reducing turbidity >1500 NTU from a synthetic mine spoil rainwater. Macrophytes, support media, hydraulic retention time (HRT), and hydraulic loading rate (HLR) were analyzed. The HSSF T. domingensis in gravel #1 achieved a 99% reduction for 4-day HRT, with residual turbidity of 7 ± 3 NTU for 27.43 L m−2 d−1 HLR. The FWS P. stratiotes achieved a 99% reduction for 6-day HRT, with residual turbidity of 11 ± 5 NTU for 36.53 L m−2 d−1 HLR. P. stratiotes free root structures promoted interception of suspended colloidal particles, resulting in a better performance. The dense root structure of T. domingensis spreading through the pores of the substrate provided better efficiency than N. humboldtiana. However, N. humboldtiana proved to be promising as a native species. The use of small granulometry alkaline support media (9 to 19 mm) was highlighted. Therefore, this research proves the efficiency of constructed wetlands in reducing high turbidity and provides optimized parameters for this technology application.

Lakes are vital components of the hydrosphere, holding both environmental and economic significance. In recent times, they have undergone transformations in one of their key characteristics—water temperature. Assessing the scale and pace of these changes depends on the length and accuracy of the available data. This study focuses on the two lakes in Poland (Białe Augustowskie and Studzieniczne) with the longest continuous water temperature records, ranging from 1954 to 2023. The results reveal a relatively stable thermal regime until the late 1980s (with changes that were statistically insignificant) and a significant shift over the past three decades, during which the water temperature increased at a rate of 0.5 °C per decade. Importantly, simulations indicate further warming of the water by the end of the 21st century. Depending on the chosen climate change scenario, the warming of both lakes is expected to continue, with the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP585) scenario projecting a steady increase of 0.5 °C per decade. Given the fundamental importance of water temperature in determining factors such as water quality, these future changes present a significant challenge for water management authorities in terms of maintaining and managing these ecosystems.

To achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) and improve energy management efficiency, it is essential to develop models and methods to forecast and enhance the process accurately. These tools are crucial in shaping the national policymakers’ strategies and planning decisions. This study utilizes data envelopment analysis (DEA) and bootstrap computational methods to evaluate Brazil’s energy efficiency from 2004 to 2023. Additionally, it compares seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) models and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) forecasting models to predict the variables’ trends for 2030. One significant contribution of this study is the development of a methodology to assess Brazil’s energy efficiency, considering environmental and economic factors to formulate results. These results can help create policies to make SDG7 a reality and advance Brazil’s energy strategies. According to the study results, the annual energy consumption rate is projected to increase by an average of 2.1% by 2030, which is accompanied by a trend of GDP growth. By utilizing existing technologies in the country, it is possible to reduce electricity consumption costs by an average of 30.58% while still maintaining the same GDP value. This demonstrates that sustainable development and adopting alternatives to minimize the increase in energy consumption can substantially impact Brazil’s energy sector, improving process efficiency and the profitability of the Brazilian industry.

Effective management of agricultural waste is an important contribution to environmental sustainability and economic development, especially considering the significant volume of agricultural residues produced worldwide. Rice is a widely cultivated crop in Colombia, and its high production results in a high amount of wastes, which is often underutilized due to a lack of knowledge regarding its potential value-added applications. On the other hand, the construction industry has become increasingly aware of the necessity to develop materials with reduced environmental impact. Therefore, this study explores the application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to evaluate various alternatives for utilizing rice waste in construction materials; the alternatives were evaluated based on criteria tailored to the needs of local agricultural communities in the Tolima region of Colombia. The findings highlight the potential of rice husk ash (RHA) as an environmentally responsible alternative in the construction sector, offering a viable solution for waste management while contributing to the economic development of small-scale farmers.

Choconta is the municipality in Colombia with the greatest prevalence of potato planting, representing 70.90% of the total territory. However, this crop has been affected by the presence of pests, diseases, and chemical contaminants from pesticides and chemical fertilizers that deteriorate the soil and, therefore, the quality of the final product. Compost (organic waste with specific characteristics and made from waste generated in Choconta) was studied as a sustainable production strategy to increase soil quality and thereby the quality of the local potato crop. For this purpose, a 3 × 2 experiment design was implemented with three treatments (0%, 25%, and 50% compost) and two variables (young potato and mature potato) in duplicate for 4 months. In this experiment, the use of compost led to an improved final product, which went from a floury texture to a dense and creamy texture. The use of compost also reduced the levels of heavy metals, such as lead, with a higher removal in treatment 3 (50% composting). The estimated direct cost of the composting process was USD 280.85, slightly lower than that of the application of fertilizers at USD 294.48. The use of fertilizers has a higher environmental impact due to the use of chemical products that have environmental and health implications. Using compost did not influence tuber harvest time but had a positive impact on tuber texture quality and on soil resources through the reduction in heavy metals, especially lead (16.40–18.03 ppm for treatment 1, 17.96–18.49 ppm for treatment 2, and 15.67–17.88 ppm for treatment 3). Using compost could be environmentally and economically beneficial for local farmers, and it promotes the circular economy and sustainable communities.

In semi-arid southern Kenya, climate change is putting rainfed agriculture at risk with major implications for food security. The zai pit, a Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) technique, has proven to enhance yields in arid regions, but its labor demands have limited adoption rates. This study assessed how the zai pit depth and manure application within zai pits influenced maize (Zea mays) success (i.e., growth, development, and productivity). Three zai pit treatments were prepared at the Wildlife Works Research Center in southeastern Kenya: (1) deep (50 cm) with manure; (2) shallow (25 cm) with manure; and (3) deep (50 cm) without manure, and all were compared to a non-zai pit control (surface planting). Maize growth/development (e.g., height, stage, roots) and productivity (e.g., yield) measurements were taken over two growing periods. For most measures, shallow zai pits performed equally as well as deep zai pits, with both performing better than the control. Zai pits without manure performed significantly worse than zai pits with manure, oftentimes not differing from the control. Results suggest that maize success is influenced more by manure than the depth of the pit. Kenyan farmers are encouraged to dig shallower, manure-enriched zai pits to enhance food security in response to climate change.

This paper investigates the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics, as well as the possible sources, of gold, silver, platinum group elements (PGE), copper, and lead found in the beach sands along Egypt’s Mediterranean coast. Using scanning electron microscopy and electron probe micro-analysis, this study determines the morphology and micro-chemistry of separated grains to assess their economic potential and how various minerals respond to different transport distances. The analysis reveals that gold grains are of high purity (94.11 to 98.55 wt.%; average 96 wt.% Au) and are alloyed with Ag (1.28–2.32 wt.%) and Cu (0.16–3.15 wt.%). Two types of gold grains were identified, indicating differences in transport distances. Variations in morphology, surface features, inclusion types, rims, and chemistry of the native metals, including gold grains, suggest differences in composition, weathering degree, transport distance, deposit types, and host rocks. The average Ag concentration in gold grains (1.86 wt.%) suggests a link to mesothermal or supergene deposits. Most silver, copper, and lead grains are spherical, with some variations in shape. Silver grains have 71.66–95.34 wt.% Ag (avg. 82.67 wt.%). Copper grains have 92.54–98.42 wt.% Cu (avg. 94.22 wt.%). Lead grains contain 74.22–84.45 wt.% Pb (avg. 79.26 wt.%). The identified platinum group minerals (PGM) belong to the Pt–Fe alloys and sperrylite, both of which are PPGE-bearing minerals. These metals likely originate from the weathering of upstream Nile tributaries surrounded by igneous and metamorphic rocks from Ethiopian and Central African regions, with a minor contribution from the Egyptian Eastern Desert Mountains.

Many anthropogenic activities have lately resulted in soil adulteration by heavy metals (HMs). The assessment of native plant species that grow in the polluted environments is of great importance for using these plants in phytoremediation techniques. This study was conducted in three industrial regions in Jeddah city, Wadi Marik, Bahra, and Khumrah, to assess the HM contamination level in them. This study also evaluated the phytoremediation ability of nine plant species collected from the studied regions. Soil physicochemical properties of the studied sites were investigated. Nine HMs, aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), and barium (Ba), have been evaluated in the collected soil, plant shoots, and root samples. Total thiol concentration in the plant shoots and roots was determined. The phytoremediation indexes, such as bioaccumulation factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF), were estimated. The results show that the soil of all the explored sites was sandy and slightly alkaline. It was found that Ni, Pb, and Cr were above the international permissible limit in all soil samples. The Wadi Marik region recorded the highest HM concentration compared to the other sites. In the Bahra region, Fe, Zn, Co, and Mn in all collected soil samples were below internationally permissible levels. In Khumrah, the highest concentration of Zn was found in the soil sample collected around F. indica plants, while Fe, Co, and Mn in all collected soil samples were below the international permissible limit. Depending on the BCF calculations, most of the investigated species showed phytostabilization ability for most of the studied HMs. Of them, E. indica, T. nubica, and P. divisum recorded the highest BCF values that ranged from 16.1 to 3.4. The BCF values of the studied HMs reduced in the order of Cr > Zn > Mn > Co > Ba > Fe > Al > Pb. Phytoextration of Co and Cr could be achieved by P. oleracea and F. indica, which showed TF values that reached 6.7 and 6.1, respectively. These plants showed high potential for phytoremediation and can be suggested as protective belts close to the contaminated regions of Jeddah.

Nowadays, there is a need to search for new renewable energy sources from which it is possible to obtain hydrocarbons that are similar in composition and properties to hydrocarbons of petroleum origin. This is due to a significant increase in demand for natural minerals and, as a consequence, the depletion of their reserves. Today, the most promising alternative renewable energy sources are various vegetable oils, which are used both in their pure form, adding them to commercial mineral fuels, and as products of catalytic processing using various catalysts. However, most studies in the field of alternative energy show that the use of fuels obtained from vegetable oils is limited by their properties as well as the climatic conditions of the areas where biofuels can be used. In this work, we propose an integrated approach to the processing of vegetable oils, which allows us to obtain products of a wide fractional composition with improved operational properties. This approach consists of sequential processing of vegetable oils, first using a CoMo/Al2O3 hydrotreating catalyst in order to obtain classical long-chain hydrocarbons with unsatisfactory properties, and then using a zeolite catalyst, ZSM-5 type, which is characterized by the active occurrence of cracking, isomerization, and aromatization reactions, which are accompanied by a decrease in the length of the hydrocarbon chain of the hydrocarbons obtained during the hydrotreating process and, as a result, improving the physicochemical and low-temperature properties of the resulting processed products.