About this Research Topic
Water resources and wastewater management are essential for achieving social equity and environmental sustainability. The United Nations envisions a water secure world where every person has access to water from sustainable sources to meet their basic needs and wellbeing without compromising the ability to meet ecological, social, and economic needs in the future. As the Sustainable Development Goal 6 emphasizes the importance of clean water and sanitation, sustainable management of water resources and services are critical to supplying clean water for the people and the planet. Simultaneously, wastewater management provides a great source of secondary resources. Therefore, wastewater management can contribute to Circular Economy by ensuring that resources are used more efficiently and for as long as possible, and by recovering water, energy, and nutrients.
Life cycle assessment (LCA) methods have been widely used to assess environmental impacts associated with urban water infrastructure, including wastewater treatment plants. On one hand, environmental LCA has a significant role in evaluating the environmental sustainability of new technologies and processes and in capturing trade-offs among environmental impacts, especially as the wastewater treatment sector transitions from pollutant removal to including resource recovery. In contrast, the implementation, benefits, and limitations of social LCA and the implementation of ecosystem services paradigm in water resources management have not been explored as much and is a gap in current literature. The application of social LCA on water management systems provides valuable insights into the social aspects and benefits, such as identification of social impacts, informed decision-making, and enhanced stakeholder engagement. Similarly, the ecosystem services paradigm in water resources management emphasizes the benefits that ecosystems provide for sustainable water use. This approach acknowledges the vital services ecosystems offer in maintaining water quality, regulating water flow, and supporting biodiversity. Ultimately, various methods such as environmental LCA, social LCA, and ecosystem services are crucial for improved water resources management and assessment of Circular Economy practices.
Therefore, this Research Topic aims to explore the role of environmental LCA, social LCA, and ecosystem services in terms of methodological and applicative aspects within the context of Circular Economy and sustainable management of wastewater. We welcome studies on the quantification of environmental and social effects with environmental LCA and social LCA, and we are particularly interested in receiving contributions that investigate methodological developments by including scientific positioning, literature reviews, and lessons learned on the main challenges and future trends, as well as practical applications. We encourage contributions with themes related to but not limited to:
- Environmental impacts and sustainability of wastewater management
- Environmental performance of wastewater management with LCA
- Identification of most valuable secondary resources recovered from wastewater with LCA according to location and local market needs
- Environmental footprint of secondary resources recovered from wastewater with LCA
- Application of LCA to shape environmental regulatory expectations
- Social performance of wastewater management with S-LCA
- Social risks of wastewater management with S-LCA
- Ecosystem benefits of wastewater management
Life cycle assessment (LCA) methods have been widely used to assess environmental impacts associated with urban water infrastructure, including wastewater treatment plants. On one hand, environmental LCA has a significant role in evaluating the environmental sustainability of new technologies and processes and in capturing trade-offs among environmental impacts, especially as the wastewater treatment sector transitions from pollutant removal to including resource recovery. In contrast, the implementation, benefits, and limitations of social LCA and the implementation of ecosystem services paradigm in water resources management have not been explored as much and is a gap in current literature. The application of social LCA on water management systems provides valuable insights into the social aspects and benefits, such as identification of social impacts, informed decision-making, and enhanced stakeholder engagement. Similarly, the ecosystem services paradigm in water resources management emphasizes the benefits that ecosystems provide for sustainable water use. This approach acknowledges the vital services ecosystems offer in maintaining water quality, regulating water flow, and supporting biodiversity. Ultimately, various methods such as environmental LCA, social LCA, and ecosystem services are crucial for improved water resources management and assessment of Circular Economy practices.
Therefore, this Research Topic aims to explore the role of environmental LCA, social LCA, and ecosystem services in terms of methodological and applicative aspects within the context of Circular Economy and sustainable management of wastewater. We welcome studies on the quantification of environmental and social effects with environmental LCA and social LCA, and we are particularly interested in receiving contributions that investigate methodological developments by including scientific positioning, literature reviews, and lessons learned on the main challenges and future trends, as well as practical applications. We encourage contributions with themes related to but not limited to:
- Environmental impacts and sustainability of wastewater management
- Environmental performance of wastewater management with LCA
- Identification of most valuable secondary resources recovered from wastewater with LCA according to location and local market needs
- Environmental footprint of secondary resources recovered from wastewater with LCA
- Application of LCA to shape environmental regulatory expectations
- Social performance of wastewater management with S-LCA
- Social risks of wastewater management with S-LCA
- Ecosystem benefits of wastewater management
Keywords: Life cycle assessment, Social life cycle assessment, Ecosystem services, Wastewater treatment, Carbon neutral technologies, Green Technologies, Nature-Based Solutions, Ecosystem degradation, Water scarcity, Wastewater pollution, Stormwater treatment and management, Agricultural and urban runoff, Secondary resources
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
