Visvaldas Varžinskas

Kaunas University of Technology · Institute of Environmental Engineering

Celebrating the honourable 30-year anniversary of the Institute of Environmental Engineering of KTU and examining the results of research carried out by the institute’s researchers or implemented projects, we see that the best results can be achieved when all interested parties unite for the sake of sustainability: small and large businesses, repre...

Vis dažniau iškylantys ekologijos ir gamtos saugojimo iššūkiai skatina mąstyti apie darnų vystymąsi. Vadovėlį parengę mokslininkai teigia, kad pagrindinė darnaus vystymosi idėja – suvokti, kaip žmonija turi gyventi tenkindama savuosius poreikius ir turėdama itin ribotus išteklius. Leidinio autoriai – skirtingų mokslo krypčių atstovai, todėl darnaus...

Paper and plastic are the main materials used in food packaging. In the context of climate change, the importance of tree conservation and the mitigation of the negative environmental impacts caused by fossil consumption and deforestation is greater than ever before. This article reviews the potential of plant-origin feedstock from the Baltic Sea r...

This article provides a systematic literature review on the integrated approach of bio-based plastic food packaging in a circular economy. It focuses on the following key areas: (1) the role of bio-based plastic food packaging in a circular product design strategy and material choice in the preproduction life cycle stage; (2) the role of bio-based...

Eco-design is used as a tool in the product and service sectors with the aim to increase sustainability and reduce negative environmental impact on the product design stage. When analyzing available information on eco-design methodologies from the point of view of applicability to the packaging, it often becomes unclear which method should be prefe...

The current food packaging model in most cases is a linear material flow model and is far from the sustainable alternative – circular economy – approach where materials are recycled and recovered at the end of each service life. High concern is rising on packaging waste and especially plastic packaging and negative environmental impact. A number of...

Permanent growth of packaging waste has a negative environmental effect. Therefore, volume and content of packaging are being regulated by relevant legislation. In 1994, the European Union (EU) adopted the Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste (94/62/EC) (subsequently - the Directive), which set the environmental requirements for packaging but...

The paper presents an analysis of problems which had to be dealt with by Lithuanian institutions while implementing environmental requirements laid down in Article 11 of European Parliament and Council Directive 94/62/EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste as well as in Decision 2009/292/EC of the European Commission establishing the conditions for de...

This study evaluates the environmental impacts of four types of frozen food packages throughout their lifecycle and suggests strategies for reducing their related environmental impacts. The four most widely used frozen food packaging materials were chosen for this study: (1) pouches composed of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film; (2) pouches comp...

New possible ways of plastics manufacture and waste treatment are being searched when trying to tackle the problems related to the growth of waste quantities and decline in non-renewable resources. Presently, the most promising and effective way to solve the mentioned problems is production of bioplastics, but its way to recognition is very slow. O...

The article presents the waste management system at Kaunas University of Technology, surveys the waste sorting habits of its community, both students and employees, and analyses the reasons and factors influencing waste sorting and non-sorting. The introduction of a separate paper waste collection system has made it possible to reduce the amount of...

Activities in the area of sustainable consumption and production in Lithuania started in 1993 when the first cleaner production projects were implemented. The capacity in the area of cleaner production enabled further development and implementation of preventive environmental initiatives. Cleaner production activities have been followed by establis...

The production and use of biogas, along with corresponding sector-specific activities and technologies, is a relatively new subject in Estonia. This paper gives an instructive overview of main barriers behind the development incentives, policy support and technological innovation in terms of emerging market for biogas. The article examines the comp...

In Europe post-consumer beverage carton packages are treated in three ways: dumped in a landfill, incinerated for energy recovery, and recycled. In recent years new technologies for beverage carton recycling have been developed and tested. At the same time in Europe the collection of second-hand raw materials is becoming more efficient. In order to...

Eco-design refers to systematic incorporation of environmental factors into the product design and development with the aim to reduce environmental impact of products throughout their whole life cycle. Electric power consumption of electrical and electronic equipment is one of the principal environmental aspects throughout the product exploitation...

Pagrindinis straipsnyje aprašyto tyrimo tikslas - pateikti būvio ciklo įvertinimo (BCĮ) principą kaip vieną iš gaminių kūrimo proceso komponentų. Tyrimas atliktas dviem etapais: pirmajame etape BCĮ priemonės taikomos pasirinktų skirtingų pramonės šakų gaminių grupėms, antrajame etape BCĮ rezultatai naudojami gaminio aplinkosauginėms savybėms tobuli...

Pagrindinis straipsnyje aprašyto tyrimo tikslas - pateikti būvio ciklo įvertinimo (BCĮ) principą kaip vieną iš gaminių kūrimo proceso komponentų. Tyrimas atliktas dviem etapais: pirmajame etape BCĮ priemonės taikomos pasirinktų skirtingų pramonės šakų gaminių grupėms, antrajame etape BCĮ rezultatai naudojami gaminio aplinkosauginėms savybėms tobuli...

Ekologiškai projektuojant gaminius, aplinkosauginiai aspektai sistemingai naudojami kuriant, plėtojant gaminius tam, kad būtų sumažintas poveikis aplinkai per visą gaminio būvio ciklą. Elektros energijos vartojimas elektros ir elektroninėje įrangoje yra vienas iš svarbiausių aplinkosauginių aspektų per visą gaminio naudojimo laiką. Šiame straipsnyj...

The paper is based on some of the results of the project "Implementation of Green Product Development in the Baltic Sea Region and Establishment of Green Company Clusters in Latvia, Lithuania and Russia with Strong Links to Sweden". Life cycle assessment (LCA), as a tool for environmental evaluation of the product system has never been used before...

Energy using products (EuPs) are of great concern, because of their proliferation in every-day activity and environmental impact through their life cycle. The greatest share of environmental impact is related to energy use in the usage stage. The new legal requirements implemented in the EU are intended for tackling the environmental impact of EuPs...

In order to sell production, the goods packaging must comply with the demands of the international market and the requirements of the corresponding legal acts. In accordance with the EU regulations, member states have to ensure that a particular production packaging is used only when it complies with all the environmental regulations laid down in t...

Rapid technology change, low initial costs have resulted in a fast-growing surplus of electrical and electronic equipment waste (e-waste) around the globe. Management of e-waste in an environment friendly way according to all legal regulations carries great importance. E-waste management system incorporates different stakeholders through the whole...

A wide variety of packaging constructions and packaging materials, together with a number of regulations and traditional solutions aimed at greater competitiveness of packaged goods in the world market, make the optimal choice a complicated issue, even for specialists. Different requirements for environmental criteria, evaluated by different method...

Rapid technology change, low initial costs has resulted in a fast-growing surplus of electrical and electronic equipment waste (e-waste) around the globe. It is very important to manage e-waste in the environment friendly way according all legal regulations. E-waste management system incorporates different stakeholders through the whole life cycle...

Work in the area of sustainable consumption and production in Lithuania started in 1993 when the first cleaner production projects were implemented. The capacity in the area of cleaner production enabled further development and implementation of preventive environmental initiatives. Cleaner production activities have been followed by the establishm...

Life cycle thinking (as the base of EU legislation) incorporates all actors, materials and environmental aspects of products in their entire life cycle. Eco-design refers to systematic incorporation of environmental factors into the product design and development with the aim to reduce environmental impact of products throughout the whole life cycl...

Electric and electronic equipment (EEE) industry is one of the largest and the fastest growing domain in the manufacturing industry. The number and total weight of electronic components and equipment in use become so high that make electronics comparable with the other much "heavier" industries (from environmental perspective). The EEE sector makes...