Incorporating Sustainability in Waste Management

1/6/20243 min read

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assorted-color item lot

Sustainability, in the context of development, is widely understood to be the balancing of meeting present needs “without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” by, amongst others, imposing limits on the use of natural resources and managing stresses on biosphere absorption capacities (Brundtland 1987).

Using New Zealand as a case study, a sustainable waste management system has been described by Seadon (2010) as one which:

  • prioritizes negative feedback loops (such as reducing bin sizes and increasing disposal costs) over positive feedback loops (such as promoting recycling), thus enabling self-monitoring and -regulation;

  • is not dependent on numerical growth in adoption but instead on more efficacious use of the collected waste;

  • is suitable to different and changing categories of waste products;

  • uses products, functions, and structures in multiple and integrated ways;

  • diverts waste for continued use and encourages symbiosis;

  • incorporates waste planning throughout the product life cycle from design to use to disposal.

Adopting the framework of integrated and sustainable waste management, Wilson et al (2012) identified a number of drivers and strategies supporting sustainable waste management, i.e.

    1. Public health - increasing coverage of public waste collection and sweeping services

    2. Environmental control - channelling waste toward controlled treatment facilities

    3. Resources management - increasing proportion of waste recycled

    4. User and provider inclusivity - strengthening the input of users and non-municipal waste service providers into design, implementation, and monitoring of waste management services

    5. Financial sustainability - increasing households' use of and financial accountability for waste collection services

   6. Institutional coherence - enhancing policy commitments and transparency of policy frameworks, directing revenues from municipal penalties and charges toward authorities, greater municipal control over out-sourced municipal waste collection services.

In addition, a number of authors have identified the need for flexibility and adaptability toward changes in waste flows (Sinha-Khetriwal et al 2005), a deeper understanding of consumer behaviours in connection with food and packaging waste (Williams et al 2020), and the rectification of informational gaps and market failures through initiatives such as waste minimisation clubs (Tonglet et al 2004).

While it is important to treat waste that has been generated, and to ensure user and producer accountability for such waste, in fact, waste management commences the moment the idea for a product is formed. Waste can be eliminated and/or circularized in design and manufacture, when it is not disposed of but instead recycled or repurposed, and indeed when it is collected, treated, or given a new lease on life in sanitary and creative ways with strong central and local oversight. Ultimately, in seeking to incorporate sustainability into waste management systems and practices, a holistic approach is required from all stakeholders and at all stages of the product life cycle.

References:

  • Brundtland, G. (1987). ‘Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future’. United Nations General Assembly document A/42/427. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/5987our-common-future.pdf

  • Seadon, J.K. (2010). ‘Sustainable waste management systems’, Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 18, Issues 16–17, 2010, Pages 1639-1651, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2010.07.009

  • Sinha-Khetriwai, D., P. Kräuchi and M. Schwaninger. (2006). ‘A comparison of electronic waste recycling in Switzerland and in India’, Environmental Impact Assessment Review 25(5) 2006, pp.492–504.

  • Tonglet, M., P.S. Phillips and M.P. Bates. (2004). ‘Determining the drivers for householder pro-environmental behaviour: waste minimisation compared to recycling’, Resources, Conservation and Recycling 42(1) 2004, pp.27–48.

  • Williams, H., A. Lindström, J. Trischler, F. Wikström and Z. Rowe. (2020). ‘Avoiding food becoming waste in households–The role of packaging in consumers’ practices across different food categories’, Journal of Cleaner Production 265(1) 2020, p.121775.

  • Wilson, D.C. (2007). ‘Development drivers for waste management’, Waste Management and Research 25(3) 2007, pp.198–207.