Solid waste management of local governments in the Western Province of Sri Lanka: An implementation analysis

A multi-criteria approach to test and evaluate the efficiency of two composting systems under two different climates

IMPLICATIONS

Municipal solid waste management is facing technical and financial challenges worldwide due to the increasing generation of solid waste following the population growth. The current improper management of this waste stream through landfilling is adding pressure on the environment as a result of methane emissions and landfill leachate. Therefore, composting of the organic fraction through selection of an appropriate composting system can solve many waste management problems and contribute to environmental sustainability. This research focuses on design, test and evaluate two composting systems in two regions with different climatic conditions, Palestine and India as both are facing waste management problems. The outcome of this research optimized the composting process which can be replicated and scaled up in other countries worldwide with similar climatic conditions.

Solid waste management in the context of the waste hierarchy and circular economy frameworks: An international critical review

Growing populations and consumption drive the challenges of solid waste management (SWM); globalization of transport, food production, and trade, including waste trading, distributes risks worldwide. Using waste hierarchy (WH; reduce, reuse, and recycle) and circular economy (CE) concepts, we updated a conceptual waste framework used by international organizations to evaluate SWM practices. We identified the key steps and the important factors, as well as stakeholders, which are essential features for effective SWM. Within this updated conceptual framework, we qualitatively evaluated global SWM strategies and practices, identifying opportunities, barriers, and best practices. We find that, although a few exceptional countries exhibit zero-waste compliance, most fare poorly, as exhibited by the high waste generation, incineration, and disposal (open dumping, landfilling) volumes. In the Global North, SWM strategies and practices rely heavily on technologies, economic tools, regulatory frameworks, education, and social engagement to raise stakeholder awareness and enhance inclusion and participation; in the Global South, however, many governments take sole legal responsibility for SWM, seeking to eliminate waste as a public "nuisance." Separation and recycling in the Global South are implemented mainly by "informal" economies in which subsistence needs drive recyclable material retrieval. Imported, regionally inappropriate tools, economic constraints, weak policies and governance, waste trading, noninclusive stakeholder participation, data limitations, and limited public awareness continue to pose major waste and environmental management challenges across nations. In the context of the framework, we conclude that best practices from around the world can be used to guide decision-making, globally. Despite variations in drivers and needs across regions, nations in both the Global North and South need to improve WH and CE compliance, and enhance stakeholder partnership, awareness, and participation throughout the SWM process. Partnerships between the Global North and South could better manage traded wastes, reduce adverse impacts, and enhance global environmental sustainability and equity, supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:9-35. © 2023 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Challenges of implementing extended producer responsibility for plastic-waste management: lessons from India

Purpose

In the transition towards circular economy and sustainable development, effective implementation of extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation is crucial to prevent plastic-waste generation and promote recycling activities. The purpose of this study is to undertake a qualitative analysis to examine recent EPR policy changes, implementation, barriers and enabling conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

In-depth interviews and group discussions with key stakeholders were undertaken to derive the barriers and facilitators of EPR implementation. Based on opinions and insights from a wide range of participants, this study identified a number of key issues faced by various parties in implementing EPR in India.

Findings

Stakeholders agree on a lack of clarity on various policy aspects, such as mandatory approval of urban local bodies, registration of recyclers/waste processors and consistency in the definition of technical terms. This paper provides useful policy inputs to address these challenges and to develop comprehensive EPR policy systems. More consultation and deliberation across various stakeholders is required to ensure the policies are effective.

Practical implications

India’s plastic-waste generation has increased at a rapid pace over the past five years and is expected to grow at a higher rate in the future. This research provides implications for policymakers to formulate coherent policies that align with the interests of brand owners and recyclers. Clear policy suggestions and improvements for effective plastic-waste management in India are also outlined.

Originality/value

This paper, based on a qualitative approach, contributes to research on plastic-waste management by integrating the perspectives of all EPR-policy stakeholders in India.

Managing the organic municipal waste in Palestine: Linking policy, practice, and stakeholders' attitude toward composting

Local authorities in Palestine are the service providers for solid waste management. Given that the organic fraction is the largest in municipal solid waste, and with ineffective management policies, the study of attitudes and behavioral aspects of personnel involved are very-important parameters in developing an effective waste management system and assisting policymakers in rectifying these policies. This study aims to assess the attitude of local authorities (LAs) in the southern West Bank of Palestine towards organic municipal solid waste composting and the factors that affect their attitude. The data was gathered via a structured questionnaire from all local authorities in the study area. The results showed that the local authorities' attitude toward organic solid waste composting is low and can be considered dissatisfactory since only 36.5% of the local authorities are planning for composting compared to 63.5% who are not. The results also showed that municipal solid waste composting is significantly affected by nine factors, including financial capacity, proper machinery, enough refuse collection vehicles to collect solid waste fractions separately, availability of area of land to be used for composting, familiarity with composting systems, staff previous-experience in compost production, acceptance of the rapid composting system, staff training in compost production, and believe that solid waste composting is within the LAs' responsibility.Implications: The generation of municipal solid waste is growing continuously due to the population growth leading to increased methane emissions, adding more pressure on the landfills which are facing political and social restrictions for expansion in Palestine. In addition, there are severe restrictions imposed on the import of chemical fertilizers. Therefore, composting the organic fractions of solid waste can, to a large extent, extend the life of the landfills and compensate for the shortage of fertilizers in the market. Moreover, it will encourage organic farming and reduce methane emissions as well. Further, it can contribute to achieve the objective of the national strategy on solid waste management.

Determinants of the choice of disposal methods among residents in urban areas in Southern Ghana

The choice of household disposal methods continues to be an area of concern globally. Several pieces of research have been conducted to identify the determinants of the choice of disposal methods. Unfortunately, these pieces of research have not explored all the factors that can influence households' choices of disposal methods. Premised on this, the paper contributes to existing literature by exploring the factors that influence households' decision to adopt a particular solid waste disposal method. Using the Oforikrom Municipality, as a case study, the paper relies on household surveys and in-depth interviews with key informants from the relevant institutions. Field observations and spatial analysis were also conducted to gather further evidence. The study reveals that the factors that informed households' decision to adopt particular disposal methods were educational levels, type and nature of dwelling unit, urbanized nature of the community, waste disposal facilities, and environmental concerns of the households. Other identified factors include household size, affordability, and convenience of the household. The study recommends that a key to success in terms of proper waste disposal among residents is to ensure the availability and accessibility of disposal facilities and the proper regulation of waste management organizations as well as disposal sites. These will contribute to minimizing the adverse effects of poor solid wastes disposal practices.Implications: This article is intended to deepen the understanding of solid wastes disposal practices in urban areas and to contribute to literature on the factors that influence the choice of a particular disposal method among residents in these areas. Findings and recommendations from this research are intended to inform policy decisions on how to effectively improve solid waste management, specifically at the household level, in urban areas in Ghana, and beyond.

A survey of Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Tehran residents regarding solid waste management in the COVID-19 era

This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of residents in Tehran City towards municipal solid waste management (MSWM) after the Corona Virus Disease 2019 caused by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) epidemic, which has been tended for the first time in this research. The study was conducted in Tehran, Iran from August 2021 to March 2022. The study population consisted of 385 participants drawn from 22 urban areas in Tehran. In order to collect the data, self-administered questionnaires containing 20 questions in 3 subject areas were used. Testing for associations between variables was conducted using Chi-square (χ2) and Pearson correlation analyses. Despite the fact that 64.9% and 56.6% of residents had adequate knowledge and attitude regarding MSW management during the COVID-19 pandemic, only 33.1% performed moderate practice. Obtained results highlighted the correlation between education, employment, gender, and age of respondents with KAP levels on (MSWM) (P<0.05). The training was found to be an important tool to enhance residents' awareness and attitude, but strict MSW legislation must also be implemented to restart appropriate separation, recycling, and composting programs during the pandemic. The findings of this study in turn can serve as a basis for experts and decision-makers to develop pragmatic waste management strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic, which rely on the participation of the general public.

Design and development of smart Internet of Things-based solid waste management system using computer vision

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management currently requires critical attention in ensuring the best principles of socio-economic attributes such as environmental protection, economic sustainability, and mitigation of human health problems. Numerous surveys on the waste management system reveal that approximately 90% of the MSW systems are improperly disposing the wastages in open dumps and landfills. Classifying the wastages into biodegradable and non-biodegradable helps converting them into usable energy and disposing properly. The advancements of effective computational approaches like artificial intelligence and image processing provide wide range of solutions for the present problem identified in MSW management. The computational approaches can be programmed to classify wastes that help to convert them into usable energy. Existing methods of waste classification in MSW remain unresolved due to poor accuracy and higher error rate. This paper presents an experimented effective computer vision-based MSW management solution with the help of the Internet of Things (IoT), and machine learning (ML) techniques namely regression, classification, clustering, and correlation rules for the perception of solid waste images. A ground-up built convolutional neural network (CNN) and CNN by the inception of ResNet V2 models trained through transfer learning for image classification. ResNet V2 supports training large datasets in deep neural networks to achieve improved accuracy and reduced error rate in identity mapping. In addition, batch normalization and mixed hybrid pooling techniques are incorporated in CNN to improve stability and yield state of art performance. The proposed model identifies the type of waste and classifies them as biodegradable or non-biodegradable to collect in respective waste bins precisely. Furthermore, observation of performance metrics, accuracy, and loss ensures the effective functions of the proposed model compared to other existing models. The proposed ResNet-based CNN performs waste classification with 19.08% higher accuracy and 34.97% lower loss than the performance metrics of other existing models.

Collaborative Reverse Logistics Network for Infectious Medical Waste Management during the COVID-19 Outbreak

The development of COVID-19 in China has gradually become normalized; thus, the prevention and control of the pandemic has encountered new problems: the amount of infectious medical waste (IMW) has increased sharply; the location of outbreaks are highly unpredictable; and the pandemic occurs everywhere. Thus, it is vital to design an effective IMW reverse logistics network to cope with these problems. This paper firstly introduces mobile processing centers (MPCs) into an IMW reverse logistics network for resource-saving, quick response, and the sufficient capacity of processing centers. Then, a multi-participant-based (public central hospitals, disposal institutions, the logistics providers, and the government) collaborative location and a routing optimization model for IMW reverse logistics are built from an economic, environmental perspective. An augmented ε-constraint method is developed to solve this proposed model. Through a case study in Chongqing, it is found that for uncertain outbreak situations, fixed processing centers (FPCs) and MPCs can form better disposal strategies. MPC can expand the processing capacity flexibly in response to the sudden increase in IMW. The results demonstrate good performance in reduction in cost and infection risk, which could greatly support the decision making of IMW management for the government in the pandemic prevention and control.

Synergy Degree Evaluation of Stakeholder Engagement in Integrated Municipal Solid Waste Management: A Case Study in Harbin, China

Municipal solid waste (MSW) has caused the increasing concern for environmental issues in recent years, and the wide engagement from all stakeholders of society has been involved in promoting integrated MSW management. Therefore, this study aims to identify the problems of dis-synergy among multi-stakeholders engaged in the integrated MSW management evolution, then contribute strategies to coordinated development of integrated MSW management system by bettering the engagement and interaction of different stakeholders combined with the region characteristics. From the perspective of the stakeholder theory and synergy theory, we constructed an integrated MSW management system with four stakeholder subsystems: governments, enterprises, residents, and NGO subsystems. We used integrated MSW management in Harbin as a case study and used the synergy degree model to estimate the system synergy degree from 2010 to 2019. Then, the synergetic development trend of integrated MSW management was studied, providing a feasible approach to boost the coordinated development of integrated MSW management in Harbin. The results were in concordance with the factual situation and pointed to integrated MSW management in Harbin and, although there is movement towards a more harmonious and orderly state over time, the government subsystem needs to be further reinforced.

The Collaborative Governance Between Public and Private Companies to Address Climate Issues to Foster Environmental Performance: Do Environmental Innovation Resistance and Environmental Law Matter?

In the recent decade, the environmental problem is increasing significantly worldwide. With the decrease in environmental health, the environmental performance is decreasing continuously having adverse consequences for the societies. Therefore, to address the environmental problem in China, the current study examined the role of collaborative governance in environmental performance. Consequently, this study examined the relationship between collaborative governance, innovative methods, performance, availability of resources, environmental innovation resistance, environmental law, and environmental performance. Both the public and private companies of environmental protection working in China are considered. To address the objective of the study, a quantitative research approach is used along with the cross-sectional research design. A questionnaire survey is carried out among the public and private companies working in China for data collection. A total of 290 valid questionnaires were returned and used in data analysis. Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) is used for data analysis. Results of this study reported important findings which have a contribution to the literature and practice. Collaborative governance has major importance to enhance environmental performance. The collaboration between public and private companies has the potential to enhance environmental performance. It is found that an increase in collaborative governance can increase the innovative methods, performance, and availability of resources which can enhance environmental performance. The improvement in innovative methods, performance, and availability of resources can foster environmental performance. Furthermore, environmental innovation resistance can decrease environmental performance. Most significantly, environmental law is crucial to enhancing environmental performance. The better implementation of environmental law can enhance the environmental performance in China.

Biogas Potential from Slums as a Sustainable and Resilient Route for Renewable Energy Diffusion in Urban Areas and Organic Waste Management in Vulnerable Communities in São Paulo

Slums are populated poor areas inside urban centers, mostly deprived of good-quality public services and exposed to inappropriate waste disposal and energy poverty. Using the organic fraction waste from these communities to generate high value-added products, including electricity, heat, and fertilizer, provides a circular bioeconomy with mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, reducing environmental pollution and diseases. The present study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of producing bioelectricity from the biogas obtained through the anaerobic digestion of the 400,000 tons of food waste generated in São Paulo’s slums, the largest city in Latin America. The biogas potential was calculated using results obtained from previous studies, expanded to the slums, mapped, and discussed the environmental impact of waste mismanagement and the renewable energy source (RES) integration into the local energy system. The results show a bioelectricity potential of up to 147,734 MWh/y, representing 1.3% of the residential electricity demand with an associated potential reduction of 2111.7 CO2eq Gg/y.

Temporal variation in leachate composition of a newly constructed landfill site in Lahore in context to environmental pollution and risks

This study investigated the seasonal and temporal variations in the extent and source of physiochemical and toxic trace elements in the Lakhodair landfill site of Lahore, Pakistan. For this purpose, systematic composite samples were collected every month, consecutively for 1 year, and analyzed for different physiochemical parameters and trace elements. The results of TDS, TSS, COD, NH₃-N, BOD₅, sulfate, sulfides, phenolic compounds, and oil and grease were higher than the national environmental quality standard (NEQs). The concentrations of trace elements, especially Mn (1.7 mg/L) and Cd (0.05 mg/L), were above the MPL, while Fe (14 mg/L), Ni (1.6 mg/L), and Zn (6.7 mg/L) were also found higher than the NEQs in some samples. In Lakhodair leachates, the TDS, COD, NH₃-N, BOD₅, sulfides, and Cl^- have high concentration coefficient (i.e., CC 3 to > 6), which falls in the category of considerable to high contamination and risk level, while the remaining parameters were in the category of low to moderate contamination (CC 1 to ≤ 3) and moderate risk. The lower BOD₅/COD ratio (< 0.1) in spring and autumn seasons represents the active methanogenesis and anaerobic activities in the Lakhodair landfill site. The anaerobic and methanogenesis activities enhance the redox reaction as a result of CO₂ emission, which increases the pH, TDS, COD, Cl^-, BOD₅, NH₃-N, sulfides, and phenolic compounds in the leachate site. However, the lower concentrations of some trace elements in leachate may be because of an anaerobic process that may immobilize the trace elements. It is presumed that the trace elements in the Lakhodair landfill may be in a metastable state, which is difficult to leach out. It is hereby recommended that leachate produced in the Lakhodair landfill site should be handled carefully to limit the environmental and health implications.

Groundwater-Based Drinking Water Supply in Sri Lanka: Status and Perspectives

Drinking water is largely from groundwater in Sri Lanka, so quality management is of great concern. In order to achieve the 6th goal of United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), more efforts are being undertaken to secure drinking water quality. In this paper, the current status, challenges and opportunities of groundwater quality management and improvement in Sri Lanka were reviewed and discussed, based on previous studies. There are Ca-HCO3 type, Ca–Mg-HCO3 type and Na–SO4–Cl type groundwater dominated in the wet zone, intermediate and the dry zone, respectively. Elevated levels of hardness, fluoride, DOC, and alkalinity, and salinity are reported in the groundwater in the dry zone controlled by geology and arid climate. Although groundwater in some regions contain significant levels of nitrates, arsenic, cadmium and lead, the majority remain at acceptable levels for drinking purposes. As for treatment technologies, existing membrane-based drinking water treatment technologies such as RO (Reverse Osmosis) stations can produce safe and clean drinking water to the community, but this has still a limited coverage. To achieve a safe drinking water supply for all, especially in rural communities of Sri Lanka under the 6th goal of the UN SDG, more efforts in building up the infrastructure and man power are needed to monitor and assess groundwater quality regularly so as to develop management strategies. Research and development can be directed towards more cost-effective water treatment technologies. Protection of groundwater from being polluted, and educational and awareness programs for the stakeholders are also essential tasks in the future.

Analysis on the Optimal Recycling Path of Chinese Lead-Acid Battery under the Extended Producer Responsibility System

The pollution control problem of discarded lead-acid batteries has become increasingly prominent in China. An extended producer responsibility system must be implemented to solve the problem of recycling and utilization of waste lead batteries. Suppose the producer assumes responsibility for the entire life cycle of lead batteries. In that case, it will effectively reduce environmental pollution caused by non-compliant disposal of waste lead batteries, reduce environmental pollution, and achieve the sustainable development of lead resources. Based on the operating mechanism of the extended responsibility system for lead-acid battery producers in China, this article considers three recycling channel structures: recycling only by manufacturers (mode M), recycling by the union (mode R), and third-party recycling (mode C). This article comprehensively compares the differences between the three recycling channels. The research results show that: (1) under the EPR system, the choice of production companies is affected by the recovery rate and profit rate. (2) By comparing different recycling channel models, we found that the recovery rate of independent recycling by the manufacturer is the largest. Still, the profit rate of the manufacturer that entrusts the alliance (M) to recycle is the highest. The manufacturer can entrust to alliance or independent recycling of waste lead batteries according to the different profit rates and recovery rates. (3) From the perspective of the supply chain, independent recycling (M) by production companies or recycling (R) by the commissioned union may be the best. The choice of recycling channels for producers depends on independent recycling and commissioning alliance’ recycling costs and reuse costs.

Characterization of Physicochemical and Mechanical Properties of Dumped Municipal Solid Waste in Sri Lanka as Affected by the Climate Zone and Dumping Age

Due to the rapid increase in population and urbanization, municipal solid waste (MSW) generation is increasing. Sri Lanka, in particular, faces serious difficulties in finding new sites for MSW disposal, due to the lack of available space; therefore, the rehabilitation of existing MSW dumping sites and the extension of their services are required to achieve sustainable urban development. To examine suitable rehabilitation techniques, it is essential to identify the physicochemical and mechanical properties of dumped MSW, fully considering climatic conditions, waste composition, and the time since the waste was dumped. In this study, therefore, the physicochemical and mechanical properties of dumped MSW were investigated; the dumped MSW was taken from existing MSW dumping sites in three climate zones in Sri Lanka, namely the Karadiyana site in the wet zone, Udapalatha in the intermediate zone, and Hambantota in the dry zone, and it was taken at different times after being dumped. The results showed that the waste composition and biodegradation of organic materials affected the physicochemical and mechanical properties of the dumped waste. The measured compaction parameters of the “old” sites at Udapalatha and Hambantota were higher compared to the “new” sites. Compaction parameters at the Karadiyana site, on the other hand, were low, at even >20 years since being dumped, probably due to the high amount of scarcely compacted materials. In direct shear tests, both strain hardening and softening of the waste samples were observed, depending on the difference in vertical stress. Based on the Pearson correlations among measured physicochemical and mechanical parameters, it was found that the loss on ignition (LOI) would be a good indicator to quickly assess the mechanical parameters of “new” and “old” waste materials, due to the small sensitivities to waste age and climate conditions in Sri Lanka. In particular, LOI correlated well to measured specific gravity and compaction properties, and the r2 values of correlations exceeded |0.80|.

Quantitative Evaluation of Waste Separation Management Policies in the Yangtze River Delta Based on the PMC Index Model

Numerous policies have been formulated and implemented to strengthen waste separation management activities in many countries. Waste separation management policies (WSMPs) must be evaluated as the precondition for reducing deviations from policy implementation and improving waste separation performance. Based on text mining technology and the construction of a policy modeling consistency (PMC) index model, we conducted a quantitative evaluation of 22 WSMPs issued by central governmental departments and provinces in the Yangtze River Delta, China from 2013 to 2021 and analyzed their optimization paths. The results suggest that the PMC index of the selected WSMPs has an upward trend. The average PMC index of 22 WSMPs was 6.906, indicating good quality in the policy texts. The PMC index identified seven, nine, five, and one of the policies as being perfect, excellent, good, and acceptable, respectively. The characteristics of WSMPs were further illustrated through PMC surface charts. Based on this, optimization paths for WSMPs with lower PMC indexes are proposed, which indicate that existing WSMPs have great potential for optimization in terms of harsher constraint regulations, context-appropriate incentives, and cultivation of market participants. Finally, this study provides a beneficial reference for similar cities or countries to improve their performance in the management of waste separation and environmental protection.

Compost Quality and Markets Are Pivotal for Sustainability in Circular Food-Nutrient Systems: A Case Study of Sri Lanka

Sustainable management of municipal solid waste (MSW) is a critical issue around the world, especially in South Asia where waste generation is expected to double by 2050. Closing the food-nutrient cycle through composting biodegradable MSW has the potential to meet human needs, including sanitation and food security, while protecting the environment. We use an interdisciplinary case study approach including systems thinking to assess Sri Lanka's national MSW composting system, which primarily receives residential and commercial food waste. We embed quantitative compost quality analysis and interviews at 20 composting facilities within a broader qualitative assessment informed by ~60 stakeholders in total. This approach yields insights on how institutional, economic, social, and biophysical aspects of the system are interrelated, and how challenges and solutions can create undesirable and desirable cascading effects, respectively. Such dynamics can create risks of composting facility failure and unintended consequences, diminishing the chances of achieving a sustainable circular food–nutrient system. Compost quality, which was variable, plays a pivotal role within the system—a function of program design and implementation, as well as a determinant of value capture in a circular economy. We make several recommendations to inform future efforts to sustainably manage biodegradable MSW using composting, drawing on our case study of Sri Lanka and prior case studies from other nations. Key among these is the need for increased emphasis on compost product quality and markets in policy and program design and implementation. Targeted measures are needed to improve waste separation, boost compost quality, effectively use compost standards, encourage compost market development, ringfence the revenues generated at municipal compost plants, and identify efficient modes of compost distribution. Such measures require adequate space and infrastructure for composting, resource investment, local expertise to guide effective system management, strong links with the agriculture sector, and continued political support.

A review on modern and smart technologies for efficient waste disposal and management

In the current scenario, the word waste management holds much importance in every individual's life. Pollution and the generation of vast waste quantities with no proper waste management process have become one of humanity's biggest threats. This review article provides a complete review of the innovative technologies currently employed to handle and dispose of the waste successfully. This work aims to include the different solid, liquid, gaseous, and radioactive waste management processes. The novel and improved plasma gasification concepts, transmutation, incineration, bio-refineries, microbial fuel cells (MFC) have been thoroughly explained. In addition, some new techniques like Mr. Trash Wheel and the Smart bin approach provide much hope of adequately managing waste. The work's novelty lies in adopting several successful methods of various countries for waste disposal and management. To incorporate or improve India'sIndia's same techniques and processes, we have to tackle the ever-increasing waste disposal problems and find economic and eco-friendly ways of waste management.

The impact of COVID-19 outbreak and perceptions of people towards household waste management chain in Nepal

The spread of COVID-19 is posing significant challenges to the household (HH) waste management sectors putting waste personnel and concerned bodies under massive pressure. The chain of collection, segregation, recycling, and disposal of household generated wastes is interrupted. This study aimed to assess how the household waste management chain was disrupted by novel coronavirus in Nepal and find the perception of the people towards the existing household waste management system (HHWMS). A descriptive online survey was carried out among 512 people using a cross-sectional research design and data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire method. Both descriptive, as well as inferential tests, were conducted using SPSS software. The finding of this study showed that 62.3% of respondents were not satisfied with the present HHWMS. Furthermore, there was a significant association of the satisfaction level of household waste management during coronavirus outbreak with gender, waste volume change in lockdown, PPE for waste collectors, and education on waste handling techniques provided by the government sector at 5% level of significance (p < 0.05). Proper HH waste management has become a challenge, and to address this some innovative works such as awareness programs for people, health and hygiene related support to waste workers, and effective policy formulation and implementation should be done by the Government of Nepal.

Sensitivity analysis and improvements of the recycling rate in municipal solid waste life cycle assessment: Focus on a Latin American developing context

The life cycle assessment (LCA) of municipal solid waste (MSW) systems in developing countries is a matter of research. Obtain reliable results is challenging since field data and local databases are not always available. The research presented in this paper explores this issue in La Paz (Bolivia), where six environmental impact categories were assessed. The LCA, related to the formal MSW management system of the city, involves a sensitivity analysis of ten parameters and the scenario assessment in relation to the increase of the recycling rate. Results report that the environmental impacts are mostly sensitive in relation to landfill gas collection efficiency, use of plastic bags, the transportation distances of collected waste, and the replacement rate of virgin materials. Global warming potential is the impact category most variable (341.38-551.95 kg CO₂-eq t_MSW^-1), although it is not considerably reduced by recycling, which contributed mostly to the human toxicity and freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity. Doubling the amount of MSW recycled, from 235 t to about 473 t per year, human toxicity potential reduces of about 18% while freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity of about 12%. This research contributes for evaluating the most sensitive parameters in an MSW-LCA and to support policymakers towards waste recycling and sustainable development in Latin America developing cities.

Design and simulation of a secondary resource recycling system: A case study of lead-acid batteries

The recycling of secondary resources is complicated as consumers, recyclers and governments are all involved in this process. In developing countries, compared to legal recyclers, illegal recyclers not only have cost advantages but also create serious pollution. Inappropriate management policies may cause disorder in the recycling market or inefficient fiscal management. This paper takes China's lead-acid batteries (LABs) from 2000 to 2015 as an example to construct a model of a secondary resource recovery system based on heterogeneous groups and analyzes the environmental and economic impacts of used LAB recycling. By simulating the implementation of different tax cuts, subsidies and regulatory policies by the government in each year, we observe the overall environmental impact of the recycling industry. This study finds that when the total amount of government expenditures is limited, the optimal policy combination emphasizes tax reduction and subsidy policies during the growth period of the recycling industry and uses more funds for supervision in the mature period. Under the balance of fiscal revenues and expenditures, the optimal policy combination can reduce the number of illegal recycling companies and waste lead emissions from the recycling market by 97.9% and 45.8%, respectively. Compared to research conducted using mathematical models and system dynamics models, this result is more in line with the actual situation, and the content is more intuitive. The government needs to adopt different policy combinations in different periods according to the state of the recycling market so that the recycling of secondary resources can achieve the optimal effect.

The hybridity of waste management: An in-depth exploratory case study from the Znojmo municipality

In the Western hemisphere, the hybridity of public service delivery is widely acknowledged to generate governance challenges arising from the mutual contestation of the competing institutional logics, such as those of the public and the private for-profit sector. The present paper explores these challenges by means of an in-depth qualitative case study of the waste management service delivery in the municipality of Znojmo, Czech Republic. Encompassing structured interviews of stakeholders and desk research, the case study was aimed at understanding the strengths and weaknesses of waste management hybridity, as well as the impact of hybridity on the relationship between innovativeness and accountability. The overall finding is that the engagement of the private for-profit sector does make this service delivery more innovative, but the useful impact of innovativeness is maximized through a hybrid arrangement. The key benefit of the hybrid arrangement is the stable intersectoral partnership allowing comprehensive control of the waste management service delivery. This benefit possibly rests on the accountability of the hybrid arrangement running on political rather than purely economic lines. Another finding was that the profit maximizing imperative was felt to constrain potential innovation, an outcome that could be prevented by the engagement of the municipality. At the same time, the hybrid mode of waste management service delivery in Znojmo is by no means free of governance challenges, such as the occasional lack of transparency and communication difficulties and disagreements among stakeholders.

Municipal Solid Waste Management Practices and Challenges in the Southeastern Coastal Cities of Sri Lanka

Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) has become a major challenge in Sri Lanka for post-conflict development activities. Many urban areas are facing severe problems in managing 10 to 50 metric tons of waste per day. However, limited research has been carried out to identify the key issues and policy gaps in MSWM. This research studies the existing complexities of MSWM processes, practices, and emerging challenges in three highly congested urban areas in the south-eastern coast of Sri Lanka. A mixed method strategy using field observations, semi-structured interviews and secondary data sources was employed for the data collection. The study revealed that, although the MSWM systems in the urban areas include all necessary elements, their effectiveness and efficiency are not satisfactory due to poor or non-segregation of waste at the source of generation; lack of resources; absence of regulation to reduce waste generation and control polluters; absence of regular collection schedule; and lack of technical know-how and initiatives. The recommendations drawn from the study include feasible solutions and immediate measures required to improve the MSWM before the related environmental and public health problems become a social catastrophe. The recommendations will also greatly contribute in the achievement of developing sustainable cities.

Household waste disposal mechanisms in Sri Lanka: Nation-wide survey evidence for their trends and determinants

This study provides Sri Lanka-wide empirical evidence on trends and determinants of waste disposal mechanisms at household level over the past decade from 2007 to 2016. The study uses the data of 60,820 households from three waves of the Sri Lanka income and expenditure survey and estimates a multinomial logistic regression model. The descriptive statistics show that though Sri Lankan households predominantly burn waste (currently, 44.91 per cent of households), there is an emerging trend of shifting the main mechanism more towards waste collection arrangements. Urban and wealthier households headed by older and more literate individuals are more likely to use municipal waste collection arrangements. Also, older and more literate headship, larger land size, ownership of house, presence of spouse, and being in the richest expenditure quartile significantly increase the likelihood of composting. Burning and dumping waste within premises are preferred by the households representing various socio-economic subgroups except urban households. The results imply expansion of municipal services, implementing province-and sector-specific waste management policies, and promoting methods for safe burning and treating waste before dumping.

Estimating Willingness to Pay for a Future Recreational Park Atop the Current Jakuševec Landfill in Zagreb, Croatia

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the economic value potentially accrued by a prospective city park, which is planned to be built as a result of strategic land reclamation of a current landfill in Croatia, based on parkgoers’ marginal willingness to pay. The idea of this land transformation is inspired by recent debate on the issue of how to address air quality and other environmental concerns over the disposal of the landfill site in the city. Like any other nonmarket valuation studies, choosing a proper survey method is a critical step for a successful economic valuation study. We adopted a double bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation method in survey design and data collection, followed by parameter estimation using the logit model. The study reveals—(1) the support of 70% of respondents was estimated; (2) as much as 96% of the respondents are willing to visit the park being presented to the respondents along with the survey questionnaire. The economic valuation indicates that the city residents are willing to pay €3.63 per person for the park’s entrance fees, which can be translated into an aggregate of €2,867,762. By referring this value information to the park budget, we may persuade policy makers to commit to a transformation of the current landfill.

Application of the Operational Research Method to Determine the Optimum Transport Collection Cycle of Municipal Waste in a Predesignated Urban Area

This paper deals with waste management. The aim is to find out whether the number of municipal mixed waste bins can be reduced due to the impact of waste separation and to determine the optimum municipal waste collection cycle within a predesignated area with an existing urban road network. The number of mixed waste bins depends on two factors—household waste volume and household waste composition. Both of these factors have a significant impact on the number of mixed waste bins required, with household waste composition being of particular importance when it comes to calculating the potential reduction in the number of mixed waste bins required due to waste separation. The calculations for the weight and volume of mixed household waste per person and the composition (types) thereof are presented accordingly. The results reveal which types of waste are the most useful in minimising the number of mixed waste bins by up to 30–50%. To determine the optimum waste collection cycle within the predesignated area with a real urban road network, the Nearest Neighbour Search method was applied. In the discussion, the focus is on whether other methods, including the Two-Phase Heuristic approach and the Bellman-Ford Algorithm, could be applied to solve the problem, whereby parameters such as application time and the capacity of the waste collection vehicle are compared.