<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>As the volume of textile waste steadily increases, mechanical, chemical and biological technologies for textile waste recovery are evolving. Also, the legal framework of the European Union has stated the commitments for promoting the recycling of textile waste in the Member States. So far, however, no decision-making algorithms have been developed for the selection of products recovered from textile waste. Within the present study, a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making algorithm for evaluating textile waste recovered products has been developed applying seven circular economic criteria – ‘Circular economy approach of the technology’, ‘Added-value potential of final product’, ‘Share of textile waste in total waste feedstock’, ‘Diversity of textile mix suitable for specific technology’, ‘Pre-treatment of waste feedstock’, ‘Recovery potential’ and ‘Maturity of a recovery technology’. The weighting of the criteria was determined by eight waste management experts. The results of the expert-based criteria evaluation show that the most important criteria are ‘Added-value potential of final product’ and ‘Circular economy approach of the technology’. The developed decision-making methodology has been adapted to nine textile waste recovered products – compost, refuse-derived fuel, ethanol, glucose, building insulation material from cement and textile waste mix, building insulation material from denim textile waste, terephthalic acid, recovered cotton and recovered polyester. The multi-criteria, decision-making ranking of the products textile shows that the highest potential for products recovered from textile waste is for glucose and terephthalic acid, while the lowest – for ethanol, compost and refuse-derived fuel.</p>
</abstract>

As the volume of textile waste steadily increases, mechanical, chemical and biological technologies for textile waste recovery are evolving. Also, the legal framework of the European Union has stated the commitments for promoting the recycling of textile waste in the Member States. So far, however, no decision-making algorithms have been developed for the selection of products recovered from textile waste. Within the present study, a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making algorithm for evaluating textile waste recovered products has been developed applying seven circular economic criteria – ‘Circular economy approach of the technology’, ‘Added-value potential of final product’, ‘Share of textile waste in total waste feedstock’, ‘Diversity of textile mix suitable for specific technology’, ‘Pre-treatment of waste feedstock’, ‘Recovery potential’ and ‘Maturity of a recovery technology’. The weighting of the criteria was determined by eight waste management experts. The results of the expert-based criteria evaluation show that the most important criteria are ‘Added-value potential of final product’ and ‘Circular economy approach of the technology’. The developed decision-making methodology has been adapted to nine textile waste recovered products – compost, refuse-derived fuel, ethanol, glucose, building insulation material from cement and textile waste mix, building insulation material from denim textile waste, terephthalic acid, recovered cotton and recovered polyester. The multi-criteria, decision-making ranking of the products textile shows that the highest potential for products recovered from textile waste is for glucose and terephthalic acid, while the lowest – for ethanol, compost and refuse-derived fuel.

Decision-making Algorithm for Waste Recovery Options. Review on Textile Waste Derived Products

Environmental and Climate Technologies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

As the volume of textile waste steadily increases, mechanical, chemical and biological technologies for textile waste recovery are evolving. Also, the legal...

Decision-making Algorithm for Waste Recovery Options. Review on Textile Waste Derived Products

Published Online: Feb 15, 2023

Page range: 137 - 149

Received: Jun 22, 2022

Accepted: Feb 02, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/rtuect-2023-0011

Keywords
AHP, circular economy, clothing waste, fibres, multi-criteria analysis, sustainability, TOPSIS, waste recovered product

© 2023 Anda Zandberga et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Decision-making Algorithm for Waste Recovery Options. Review on Textile Waste Derived Products

Published Online: Feb 15, 2023

Page range: 137 - 149

Received: Jun 22, 2022

Accepted: Feb 02, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/rtuect-2023-0011

KeywordsAHP, circular economy, clothing waste, fibres, multi-criteria analysis, sustainability, TOPSIS, waste recovered product

© 2023 Anda Zandberga et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
AHP, circular economy, clothing waste, fibres, multi-criteria analysis, sustainability, TOPSIS, waste recovered product