Industrial solid waste management encompasses a vital part of developed and developing countries strategies alike. It manages waste generated from vital industries and governs the hazardous waste generated as a major component of integrated waste management strategies. This article reviews the practices that govern the management approaches utilized in the developed world for industrial spent catalysts. It critically assesses the current situation of waste management within the developing world region focusing on the industrial waste component, in a novel attempt to crucially develop a strategy for a way forward based on best practices and future directions with major European industries. The review also draws parallels with European countries to compare their practices with those of the State of Kuwait, which rely solely on landfilling for the management of its industrial waste. Spent catalysts recovery methods are discussed at length covering conventional methods of valuable metals and chemicals recovery (e.g., hydrometallurgical, solid–liquid and liquid–liquid extraction) as well as biological recovery methods. A major gap exists within regulations that govern the practice of managing industrial waste in Kuwait, where it is essential to start regulating industries that generate spent catalysts in-view of encouraging the establishment of valorization industries for metal and chemical recovery. This will also create a sustainable practice within state borders, and can reduce the environmental impact of landfilling such waste in Kuwait.

Continuously monitored ambient concentrations of ozone (O3), nitrogen monoxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) for the years 2004-2005 and 2014-2015 are used to understand the relationships and photochemical rections between ozone (O3) and nitrogen oxides (NOX ≈ NO+NO2) in one of Kuwait's major urban areas (Fahaheel). The objective of the study is to investigate the fate of O3 as a secondary pollutant and to determine the chemical coupling and mixing ratio of NO2 to O3. The variation of total atmopsheric oxides (OX = O3+NO2) concentrations with NO2 is also assessed to gain an insight into the atmospheric sources of OX. In addition, the diurnal variations of NO, NO2, NOX, O3, and OX along with variation of regional and local Ox are examined. The daytime and night-time relationships between O3 and NOX and the ozone weekend effect in Fahaheel area are also reported in this communication. This study creates a historical baseline for urban areas subjected to heavy industrial emissions that can significantly improve our understanding of the impacts of future changes in O3 concentrations.

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Developing countries are faced with an overgrowing solid waste problem that various governmental bodies are trying to combat using either source mitigation or end of pipe solutions. Furthermore, the accumulation of plastic solid waste, in particular, is causing major concern to various entities around Gulf Council Countries (GCC), where various efforts are undertaken at state level to mitigate its accumulation from point sources. One such, is the development of standards for biodegradable plastics, namely comparing market available grades of oxo (pro-degradant enhanced) biodegradables against thermoplastic resin masterbatches. In this work, we have initiated such research efforts that takes into consideration governmental demands in the GCC and have considered a commercially available polyester masterbatch to study using the standard test method of the American Society of Testing and Materials D 5988-18 "Determining Aerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials in Soil". Laboratory controlled conditions were used to initiate the study of determining the degree and rate of aerobic biodegradation of the material in contact with soil that represents an active landfill site within the State of Kuwait. The masterbatch resin considered was previously claimed to be certified by the manufacturer in accordance with EN 17033 as a bio-based plastic derived from corn rendering the material as a modified polyester and polyactide. A pot ato starch (MSDS CAS No. 009005-84-9) purchased from Loba Chemie Company was used for positive control experimental runs. The soil was aerated with the compost in laboratory conditions and mixed in a 1:25 ratio (e.g. 18:450 g compost/g soil) with a moisture content of 80-100% maintained throughout the full duration of the experiment by adding distilled water. The biodegradation rate (%) was evaluated based on the carbon evolution estimation from the stoichiometry of the degradation reaction. The reported results can be used as a comparison baseline for both standards development (for market purposes) and applicability of material as a plastic waste mitigation technique for use.

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