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Mohammed S, Kaida N. Opportunities and challenges for circular economy in the Maldives: A stakeholder analysis of informal E-waste management in the Greater Malé Region. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 358:120944. [PMID: 38652987 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
In the Maldives, the contribution of the informal sector to e-waste management is significant as a formal e-waste management system is not yet established. The opportunities for advancing the circular economy in the Maldives' e-waste sector rely on the possibility of its formalization. This study aimed to examine the current and anticipated situations of e-waste management in the Greater Malé Region of the Maldives, with a specific focus on formalizing the informal sector. Interviews and questionnaire-based surveys were conducted followed by statistical analysis of the data. The t-test performed for the consumer survey data (n = 202) suggests that formalization encourages consumers to engage with the informal sector, resulting in increased resource recovery. Thematic analysis of interviews conducted with both formal and informal sector stakeholders (n = 17) revealed that the informal sector plays a substantial role in managing e-waste. It also underscored the need for government assistance to enhance safety and productivity in this sector. Various opportunities and challenges for establishing a circular economy in the country were identified, such as the rise in e-waste generation, the presence of an active informal workforce, the lack of sufficient government support, and prevailing stereotypes among consumers regarding informal workers. These findings provide a fresh perspective on the solutions for waste management in the Maldives and open the door to further explore the significance of the informal sector and feasible formalization initiatives. This study could contribute to the literature on the role of the informal sector in waste management in the Maldives and other small island developing states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumaa Mohammed
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Tsukuba, Tennodai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 3058573, Japan.
| | - Naoko Kaida
- Institute of Systems and Information Engineering, University of Tsukuba, Tennodai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 3058573, Japan.
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Juárez Pastor L, Subramanian V, Cucurachi S, Ghorbani A. Caste, mistrust and municipal inaction: The interwoven barriers for the integration of waste pickers in India. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 356:120513. [PMID: 38471322 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Solid waste management in low- and middle-income countries like India faces significant challenges due to the increasing waste generation that surpasses the current capacity. Therefore, the informal waste sector (IWS) is more vital than ever in handling consumer waste alongside municipal solid waste management (SWM) systems. However, the integration of the IWS into formal waste management systems remains unresolved due to adverse social and economic conditions. This study focuses on identifying the root causes that hinder the integration of the IWS in India's waste management system, using the city of Chennai as a case study. Adopting an institutional perspective, we analyse the institutional landscape of the waste management system, considering both formal rules (in policy documents) and informal rules (i.e., social norms and routines). The institutional network analysis reveals a significant misalignment in perceptions among governance levels concerning the integration of the IWS. The study shows a considerable gap between rules-in-form and rules-in-use, leading to 1) Preclusion of waste pickers in collecting door-to-door source-segregated waste (i.e., recyclables). 2) Unfair pricing in transactions with small aggregators. 3) Lack of ID cards for waste pickers. These barriers are ultimately rooted in caste discrimination, misalignment between governance levels, and the exclusion of waste pickers in the policymaking process. In conclusion, understanding and rectifying the institutional gaps and discriminatory practices are essential steps towards effectively integrating the IWS in India's waste management system, promoting a more inclusive and sustainable approach to waste management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Juárez Pastor
- Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands; Institute of Environmental Science, Leiden University, the Netherlands
| | | | - Stefano Cucurachi
- Institute of Environmental Science, Leiden University, the Netherlands
| | - Amineh Ghorbani
- Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands.
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Ngalo N, Thondhlana G. Illegal Solid-Waste Dumping in a Low-Income Neighbourhood in South Africa: Prevalence and Perceptions. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6750. [PMID: 37754610 PMCID: PMC10530688 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20186750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Illegal solid-waste dumping (ISWD) is prevalent globally with adverse social and environmental impacts, particularly in poor communities. Understanding the extent, practices and perceptions of ISWD is needed to inform interventions. Using GIS techniques and household surveys, this study examined the prevalence of dumpsites, and perceptions of ISWD in a low-income neighbourhood of Komani, South Africa. A total of 120 dumpsites were encountered in green spaces, empty residential plots and street edges, suggesting illegal dumping of solid waste is widespread. More than half of the respondents (58%) disposed of household waste in undesignated sites or burnt it, attributing this to the non-collection of waste. Potential interventions suggested were largely technical, including regular collection of waste, and the provision of bins and plastic bags. The paper suggests approaches to addressing sustainable solid-waste management should consider the views of local communities, who are principal stakeholders in the solid-waste production and management mix.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gladman Thondhlana
- Department of Environmental Science, Rhodes University, P.O. Box 94, Makhanda 6140, South Africa
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Fidelis R, Guerreiro EDR, Horst DJ, Ramos GM, de Oliveira BR, de Andrade Junior PP. Municipal solid waste management with recyclable potential in developing countries: Current scenario and future perspectives. WASTE MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOLID WASTES AND PUBLIC CLEANSING ASSOCIATION, ISWA 2023; 41:1399-1419. [PMID: 36964724 DOI: 10.1177/0734242x231160084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Municipal solid waste (MSW) is a complex challenge to be solved worldwide, intensified in developing countries since in addition to economic and environmental aspects there is also the social aspect represented by the collector individual. From an integrative bibliographic review this study longitudinally analyses the socio-productive inclusion of collectors in the municipal solid waste management (MSWM) at an international level. Aiming: (a) to identify relevant articles describing/studies on MSWM with social inclusion of scavengers around the world; (b) to analyse these articles in order to present its main characteristics; (c) to describe municipal solid waste management with recyclable potential (MSWRP) with socio-productive inclusion of collectors; (d) the study provides a more detailed summary of MSWRP management in some developing countries: Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria and Pakistan; and (e) to provide a framework indicating the future practices and perspectives of MSWRP. As result, this study presents the paradigms and future questions for an effective improvement of WSWM, such as: Professional Training of Scavengers, Cultural Issues, Empowerment of Scavenger, Recycling Cooperatives and Cooperativism, Policy Issues and Recycling Chain, Management Systems and Process Improvement, Quality of Services Provided, Circular Economy and Informal Sector, Health Quality and Safety at Work, Barriers and Solutions for the Inclusion of the Informal Sector, Environmental, Economic and Social Benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reginaldo Fidelis
- Department of Mathematics, Federal University of Technology of Paraná, Campus Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Erico Daniel Ricardi Guerreiro
- Department of Production Engineering, Federal University of Technology of Paraná, Campus Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Diogo José Horst
- Postgraduate Program in Engineering and Mechanical Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Joinville, Joinvile, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Muller Ramos
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Technology of Paraná, Campus Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Bianca Romam de Oliveira
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Technology of Paraná, Campus Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Pedro Paulo de Andrade Junior
- Postgraduate Program in Engineering and Mechanical Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Joinville, Joinvile, Brazil
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Ibelli-Bianco C, Guimarães JPS, Yamane LH, Siman RR. Education and training: Key solution to self-management and economic sustainability of waste pickers organisations. WASTE MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOLID WASTES AND PUBLIC CLEANSING ASSOCIATION, ISWA 2022; 40:1505-1513. [PMID: 35257606 DOI: 10.1177/0734242x221080090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Being a waste picker is not considered a profession in the eyes of society. One reason is that it does not require professional qualifications or training. Thus, most waste pickers are individuals who had difficulty entering the labour market, mainly due to low education levels. As members of waste pickers organisations (WPOs), they have difficulties in practicing self-management and, consequently, in maintaining the WPO's economic sustainability. This is a barrier to waste pickers' inclusion in the integrated solid waste management, but it can be overcome with investment in their education and professional training. However, it is not clear how this can be accomplished. This article presents guidelines for the education and training of organised waste pickers. These guidelines were developed based on socioeconomic information with a focus on education and training collected from interviews with waste pickers (n = 215) of 24 Brazilian WPOs. The potentials and vulnerabilities of this socioeconomic profile allowed the elaboration of the main following guidelines: the classroom must be the WPO itself; a mentor is needed to conduct the education and training programme using a non-formal teaching and learning method; the content should be defined collectively, based on the knowledge of the organisation's members and the daily WPO's issues. In addition to isolated actions, these guidelines should be included in public policy programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Ibelli-Bianco
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | | | - Luciana Harue Yamane
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | - Renato Ribeiro Siman
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
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The Impact of Environmental Regulations and Social Norms on Farmers’ Chemical Fertilizer Reduction Behaviors: An Investigation of Citrus Farmers in Southern China. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14138157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
This study investigates how environmental regulations and social norms affect farmers’ chemical fertilizer reduction behaviors (CFRBs) and investigates the mediating role played by social norms and the moderating role played by social networks. As the analysis tool, a structural equation model is employed to analyze the data collected from a questionnaire survey with 402 valid samples of Chinese citrus growers. This study reveals that (1) environmental regulations and social norms have a significant effect on farmers’ CFRBs; (2) injunctive social norms are a partial mediator of the relationship between incentive-based environmental regulations and farmers’ CFRBs; (3) social networks play a positive moderating role in the relationship between injunctive social norms and farmers’ CFRBs; and (4) large-scale farmers’ CFRBs are more susceptible to the impact of environmental regulations and social norms than small-scale farmers. The result of this study provides a significant scientific foundation for the Chinese agricultural sector to develop policies to combat soil pollution in agriculture.
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Steuer B, Li H. An effective system for recovering recyclable waste from households in China: Ant Recovery's bottom-up scheme in Changchun city. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 139:352-361. [PMID: 35007955 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2021.12.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In light of China's rising environmental governance focus on household waste recycling, this article analyses a novel recyclable waste recovery scheme, Ant Recovery, in Changchun, Jilin Province. In contrast to other recyclable waste collection systems, Ant Recovery emerged as a bottom-up venture established by members of the informal recycling sector in cooperation with the local recycling association. To assess the scheme's performance, the analysis uses field research data obtained over 21 days of observatory and questionnaire surveys at one of Ant Recovery's mobile collection points. Based on data from 1,501 documented recyclable waste transactions, the analysis indicates a median recovery rate of 438.4 kg/hour at the surveyed recovery station. Extended to the entire scheme's network in Changchun, the figure extrapolates to 2,034.6 metric tons/day, which approximates to roughly 94% of waste recyclables generated by the city's households. These achievements essentially result from two factors: (1) A beneficial policy environment established by central and local regulations and (2) AR's operational compatibility with daily routines and profit orientation of waste recyclable delivering stakeholders. In comparison to many other recycling systems in China, the alternative model in Changchun appears to be indigenous with little requirement for novel organisational structures or high capital/ overhead costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Steuer
- The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Division of Environment and Sustainability, Room 4362, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
| | - Huijie Li
- Jilin University, School of Public Administration, No. 2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun, China
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Salvia G, Zimmermann N, Willan C, Hale J, Gitau H, Muindi K, Gichana E, Davies M. The wicked problem of waste management: An attention-based analysis of stakeholder behaviours. JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION 2021; 326:129200. [PMID: 34866810 PMCID: PMC8609182 DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Surging amounts of waste are reported globally and especially in lower-income countries, with negative consequences for health and the environment. Increasing concern has been raised for the limited progress achieved in practice by diverse sets of policies and programmes. Waste management is a wicked problem characterised by multilayered interdependencies, complex social dynamics and webs of stakeholders. Interactions among these generate unpredictable outcomes that can be missed by decision makers through their understanding and framing of their context. This article aims to identify possible sources of persistent problems by focussing on what captures, shapes and limits the attention of stakeholders and decision-makers, drawing on the attention-based view from organisation theory. The theory describes the process through which issues and opportunities are noticed and how these are translated into actions, by focussing on the influencers at the individual, organisational and context scale. Views on issues and opportunities for waste management were collected in a series of fieldwork activities from 60 participants representing seven main types of stakeholders in the typical lower-middle income Kenyan city of Kisumu. Through a thematic analysis guided by the attention-based view, we identified patterns and misalignment of views, especially between government, community-based organisations and residents, which may contribute to persistent waste problems in Kisumu. Some point to detrimental waste handling practices, from separation to collection and treatment, as the main cause of issues. For others, these practices are due to a poor control of such practices and enforcement of the law. This study's major theoretical contribution is extending the application of attention theory to multi-stakeholder problems and to non-formalized organisations, namely residents and to the new field of waste management. This novel lens contributes a greater understanding of waste issues and their management in Africa that is relevant to policy and future research. By revealing the "wickedness" of the waste problem, we point to the need for a holistic and systems-based policy approach to limit further unintended consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Salvia
- The Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment, University College London, 14 Upper Woburn Place, WC1H 0NN, London, UK
| | - Nici Zimmermann
- The Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment, University College London, 14 Upper Woburn Place, WC1H 0NN, London, UK
| | - Catherine Willan
- UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources. Central House, 14 Upper Woburn Place, WC1H 0NN, London, UK
| | - Joanna Hale
- UCL Centre for Behaviour Change, 1-19 Torrington Place, WC1E 7HB, London, UK
| | - Hellen Gitau
- African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), P.O. Box 10787-00100, APHRC Campus, Kitisuru, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Kanyiva Muindi
- African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), P.O. Box 10787-00100, APHRC Campus, Kitisuru, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Evans Gichana
- County Government of Kisumu, P.O. Box 2738-40100, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Mike Davies
- The Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment, University College London, 14 Upper Woburn Place, WC1H 0NN, London, UK
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The Impact of Village Rules and Formal Environmental Regulations on Farmers' Cleaner Production Behavior: New Evidence from China. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18147311. [PMID: 34299766 PMCID: PMC8306031 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18147311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Village rules and formal environmental regulations are of great significance for standardizing farmers’ cleaner production behavior, promoting green transformation of agriculture and realizing sustainable development of agriculture. Based on the survey data of 946 farmers in five provinces of China, taking seed coating technology, soil testing and formulated fertilization technology, subsoiling tillage technology, green technology for pest and disease control and straw returning technology as examples, this article empirically analyzes the impact of village rules and formal environmental regulations on farmers’ cleaner production behavior by using the multivariate probit model. When formal environmental regulations are relatively lacking or weak, village rules can be used as a useful supplement to formal environmental regulations to promote farmers’ participation in cleaner production. Based on this, this article argues that the important reason for formal environmental regulations falling into relative system failure is that village rules have not been paid enough attention in promoting farmers’ cleaner production behavior. In the future, we should not only continue to strengthen the role of formal environmental regulations in farmers’ cleaner production, but also cultivate the informal institution represented by the village rules, and build the regulatory system of mutual support between informal institution and formal institution.
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