Faecal sludge (FS) management presents an increasing challenge in the global south, demanding innovative approaches for effective dewatering and sustainable resource recovery. Geotextiles, with their compact structure, ease of installation, and effective dewatering capabilities, are environmentally friendly solutions for FS dewatering and resource recovery. However, a comprehensive review of geotextiles’ use in FS dewatering is lacking, presenting challenges to understanding their utility and potential scale. Our paper examines and discusses the suitability of various geotextiles in dewatering FS, contaminant removal efficiency, underlying mechanisms, and end uses of resulting biosolids and filtrate. Only a few studies have investigated using geotextiles for FS treatment, revealing that with synthetic conditioners, geotextiles achieve high dewatering and filtration efficiencies (> 35%). FS moisture content, geotextile apparent opening size (AOS), and permittivity influence filtration and dewatering efficiencies; higher moisture content reduces filtration efficiency and increases dewatering efficiency. At the optimal moisture content, the filtration efficiency equals dewatering efficiency. Woven geotextiles have higher tensile strength (36–201.4 KN/m) than non-woven geotextiles (~ 50 KN/m), making them more suitable for dewatering large volumes of FS. The steps involved in the dewatering process include filtration, consolidation, biofilm formation, and clogging. Future research in FS dewatering with geotextiles includes exploring the use of bioengineered microorganisms for bio-flocculation of FS, understanding the dynamics of biofilm formation during dewatering, and hydrogen production from dewatered FS. The insights from this review aim to promote broader adoption of FS dewatering using geotextiles, especially in resource-scarce and space-limited settings.

Algae, a diverse group of photosynthetic organisms, offer remarkable potentials for innovative environmental engineering solutions. Biomimetic materials derived from algal components, such as polysaccharides and biominerals, exhibit unique properties suitable for applications in water purification, air filtration, and sustainable construction. Bio-inspired sensors, mimicking algal sensing mechanisms, enable real-time environmental monitoring and pollution detection. Photobioreactors harness algal photosynthesis for biofuel production, carbon capture, and wastewater treatment, contributing to sustainable energy solutions. The interdisciplinary approach of this review highlights the synergies across biology, materials science, and engineering, illuminating the revolutionary potential of algae-inspired technologies. While challenges regarding scalability, affordability, and environmental impact persist, ongoing advancements in biotechnology, design optimization, and policy support hold promise for realizing the full potential of these nature-inspired innovations.

Faced with escalating sustainability challenges, China’s pulp and paper industry (PPI) is under pressure to achieve carbon neutrality, as it is one of the top eight carbon-emitting sectors in the national carbon market. Although the adoption of circular economy (CE) principles is considered a key strategy for the PPI’s low-carbon transition, a comprehensive understanding of the specific contributions of CE to CO₂ reduction within China’s PPI is currently lacking, including the differences in CO₂ reduction potential across various measures and regions. Against this backdrop, an accounting method for the contribution of CE activities in the PPI to CO₂ abatement at the industrial level was developed in this study. Building on the current status of CO₂ emissions in China’s PPI, we evaluated the CO₂ reduction potential under various CE scenarios from 2020 to 2035, considering four CE measures: waste reduction, clean energy substitution, energy efficiency improvement, and waste paper recycling. The results revealed that under a Business-as-Usual (BAU) scenario, CO₂ emissions would increase with the expansion of the production scale, rising from 141.5 Mt in 2020 to 213.7 Mt in 2035. Compared with the BAU scenario, CE scenarios could achieve cumulative CO₂ reductions ranging from 708.8 to 1697.4 Mt from 2020 to 2035. Clean energy substitution contributes the largest CO₂ abatement in both CE-M and CE-G scenarios, with a cumulative emission reduction between 459.2 and 702.7 Mt of CO₂. The study also reveals provincial variations in CO₂ reduction potential and corresponding strategic approaches within China, with provinces such as Guangdong, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Fujian provinces showing significant capabilities in emission reduction. The measures proposed in this study, including optimizing the energy consumption framework, enhancing source reduction management, and improving wastepaper recycling efficiency, provide effective pathways for the Chinese PPI to achieve low-carbon and sustainable development, which could also help reduce pollutant emissions, especially water pollutants.