The articles included in this issue of WARM encompass a wide range of waste and environmental management perspectives to enhance resource efficiency. While the second paper focuses on the production of material from the by-products generated from the processing of agricultural produce for prepared food products, a later stage of the food waste management system is dealt with through an analysis of fruit and vegetable retail outlets in Shiraz, Iran in the first paper. The three other papers cover technology research into wastewater treatment techniques to deal with contamination from modern manufacturing production effluents but all three papers demonstrate the necessity for enhancing resource management to achieve greater circularity and efficiency through their potential new treatment methods.Kazemi et al. (2026) undertook a survey of fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) in the retail sector of the City of Shiraz, in southwestern Iran with a population approaching 2 million. They also incidentally provided an excellent comparative review of FVW in other middle-income countries and occasional references to FVW more developed economies as well. Their carefully structured sample of retail outlets in Shiraz showed contrasts in the generation of FVW by season and shop size and the reasons for an overall estimated FV wastage rate of 14.7%, and with almost no treatment of the FVW. One of the interesting points raised by the authors is the potential to reduce FVW by having more packaging, something which is quite contentious in more developed economies and addressed in a recent food waste discussion paper (Bio-based Industries Consortium/ZWE, 2026).Khanam et al. (2026) examined closely a range of FVW and waste ghee (clarified butter from cow or buffalo milk) from the processing of these products in Indian food manufacturing factories to determine whether squalene could be obtained as an alternative to other sources which act as food sources for human consumption. Squalene is an important component of human tissue structure but is increasingly used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. While the densest quantity of squalene could be obtained from shark livers, this option is unacceptable, and other potential sources such as olive, oil palm and soyabean would compete with human food production. The authors therefore assessed the potential for banana peel, garlic peel and onion peel and several other residues from agro-industrial processing as potential squalene sources.The other three papers in this issue focused on the contamination of water and present the results of research as to means of cleansing wastewater contamination through the use of variety of techniques, including in the latter two cases electro catalysis. However, the first of the three papers, by Mortazavi et al. (2026) continues the theme of utilising waste, in this case in order to provide a material that can be harnessed as a means of contaminant cleansing by using spent carbon cathodes from aluminium smelting pots, with around 650 000 tonnes of this material being generated globally each year. Although some processing is required to make this carbon waste product fit for its new use the research shows considerable potential in removing high proportions of industrial solvents, particularly benzene, toluene and para-xylene (BTX).Imiteaz et al. (2026) through their research show how photo electrocatalysis (PEC) can be enhanced to deal with a range of recalcitrant contaminants, particularly chemical oxygen demand (COD), which would not be amenable to conventional wastewater treatment. PEC provides an energy efficient means of removing contaminants over a wide range of pH and temperatures at low voltage which can be easily provided through a variety of renewable sources.In the third of the wastewater research papers Hossain, Yanan, Sidiki et al. (2026) tackle a specific limited range of industrial wastewater contaminants showing how nanotechnology can be used to enhance an existing treatment method which can remove organic dyes even more effectively. Again, the amount of energy input required is quite limited when this new nanotechnology enhanced material is utilised.
Jeff Cooper (2026) studied this question.