This roadmap is based on analyses of the experiences with waste management in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Japan, Romania, and the European Union (EU) generally. The experiences of other countries concerning waste management - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Russia - have also informed the document. By comparing implementation conditions across the case studies, the roadmap draws lessons and emphasizes that enhancing the waste management sector is a gradual process, changes should be introduced incrementally, and the sector is to improve steadily achieving organic growth. Special attention is paid to the building blocks of a well-functioning waste management system, including reliable data, legislation, institutional framework, financing, public communication and participation, management capacity, and operations. The intention of this roadmap is to provide a simple list of key issues and their sequencing that may be used by national and regional/local authorities in the conceptualization and implementation of municipal solid waste management reforms. The issues identified are not exhaustive and are intended as a guideline for policy makers who are not sector specialists. The work was led Daniel Levine. The roadmap document was developed by Kremena Ionkova and Gerard Simonis. The research team was composed of Shiko Hayashi, Mihail Staynov, Diana Gheorghiu, Anatol Shagun and Gerard Simonis.

We live in a technology driven era where each day new gadgets improve the way we live our lives. Many resources are being spent on building these devices that often turn obsolete overnight. Taking into account that these electronics have a long-term impact on the environment, a waste management system must be embedded in the electronic product lifecycle. In this paper, we propose a monitoring system for recycling batteries from electronic equipment and devices. This solution covers specific waste management issues to manage and reduce battery waste and to recover valuable materials and components. A solution for the continuous monitoring of each battery waste container is also proposed. The solution involves the storage of all information regarding the recycling process, such as pickup date and time, collector’s name, quantity, and location. The research is also extended for smartphone usage. This is an important feature for collectors who need to access data in real time from any location. The mobile application directly reads the weight of battery waste, automatically saves the date and time, and stores the location along with any other useful information.

We live in a technology driven era where each day new gadgets improve the way we live our lives. Many resources are being spent on building these devices that often turn obsolete overnight. Taking into account that these electronics have a long-term impact on the environment, a waste management system must be embedded in the electronic product lifecycle. In this paper, we propose a monitoring system for recycling batteries from electronic equipment and devices. This solution covers specific waste management issues to manage and reduce battery waste and to recover valuable materials and components. A solution for the continuous monitoring of each battery waste container is also proposed. The solution involves the storage of all information regarding the recycling process, such as pickup date and time, collector’s name, quantity, and location. The research is also extended for smartphone usage. This is an important feature for collectors who need to access data in real time from any location. The mobile application directly reads the weight of battery waste, automatically saves the date and time, and stores the location along with any other useful information.

This research assesses the appropriate options for managing rigid polyurethane waste (RPUW) remaining from refrigerator/freezer dismantling in Thailand by analyzing the impacts on environment, energy and economic aspects. There are four options for RPUW management: option 1 – landfill; option 2 – incineration; option 3 – hydrolysis + landfill; and option 4 – production of lightweight concrete (LWC) mixed with RPUW (LWC-RPUW). From environmental and energy perspectives using Life cycle assessment (LCA) by Simapro software, the results showed that option 4 had the lowest human toxicity, followed by option 3, option 1 and option 2, respectively. On the other hand, option 1 had the lowest climate change and fossil depletion impacts, followed by option 2, option 3 and option 4, respectively. However, without considering energy consumption during the use phase of LWC as wall material in building, option 4 has the least energy and environmental impact. Regarding economic impact, option 4 is the only one option that can make a profit, and its net present value (NPV) is positive. In other words, it is worth refrigerator recyclers investing in a LWC-RPUW production plant. Option 4 is feasible to perform practically without subsidizing from any organization, while the other options are costly to carry out. To promote option 4, which is more appropriate considering all three kinds of impact studied here, it will be necessary to improve option 4 in terms of the insulation properties of the LWC-RPUW products to reduce the environmental impact from energy consumption during the product use phase.

The management of disaster waste is one of the most critical tasks associated with recovery after a disaster. Having a general idea of the required capacity, cost and target clean-up time while considering the uncertainties involved in the system before the detailed plan of a disaster waste clean-up system is significant. Reliability analysis is a method to judge the performance of a system and deal with uncertainties in the system. Evaluating the reliability of the system, which can indicate the possibility to complete the clean-up within the target time and cost, and optimising the system to maximise the reliability to provide information to decision-makers regarding the capacity, cost and time required to finish the clean-up is the purpose of this paper. A mathematical model is developed applying the First Order Reliability Method (FORM) to address the problem. Additionally, a non-linear optimisation model is developed to improve the reliability of the disaster waste clean-up system with consideration of the total cost and clean-up time constraints, and solved using a Genetic Algorithm. The proposed models are implemented to solve a case study in Queensland, Australia. It is shown that the models have the capability of maximising the reliability and minimising the total clean-up costs by optimising the arrangement of vehicles during the clean-up process.

Even though solid waste management has become a major public health and environmental concern in urban areas of Ethiopia, only 2% of the population receive solid waste management services. The primary objective of this study is to assess solid waste management practices of Bahir Dar City. The technique of multistage random sampling has been employed to draw 350 households for this study, with both quantitative and qualitative primary data put into good use. Finally, the quantitative data has been analyzed by means of descriptive statistics with the results indicating that 78% of the respondents feel that the current solid waste management service is far below the required level; whereas, 22% of the respondents show satisfaction with the existing waste management service. The municipality has planned to provide solid waste management service for the residents once a week, but the survey results demonstrate that only 29% of the sample households received solid waste management services weekly, indicating that the performance of solid waste management service is low. Among 350 households, a sum of 66.6% practice illegal solid waste disposal with the remaining 33.4% waiting until solid waste collectors come to the area to take the waste away. Therefore, participation of urban households, micro and small enterprises, and governmental and non-governmental organizations plays a great role to upgrade the existing low status of solid waste management services.

The potential of smart cities in remediating environmental problems in general and waste management, in particular, is an important question that needs to be investigated in academic research. Built on an integrative review of the literature, this study offers insights into the potential of smart cities and connected communities in facilitating waste management efforts. Shortcomings of existing waste management practices are highlighted and a conceptual framework for a centralized waste management system is proposed, where three interconnected elements are discussed: (1) an infrastructure for proper collection of product lifecycle data to facilitate full visibility throughout the entire lifespan of a product, (2) a set of new business models relied on product lifecycle data to prevent waste generation, and (3) an intelligent sensor-based infrastructure for proper upstream waste separation and on-time collection. The proposed framework highlights the value of product lifecycle data in reducing waste and enhancing waste recovery and the need for connecting waste management practices to the whole product life-cycle. An example of the use of tracking and data sharing technologies for investigating the waste management issues has been discussed. Finally, the success factors for implementing the proposed framework and some thoughts on future research directions have been discussed.

This study analyzed the factors influencing a community-based waste recycling program to achieve a recycling rate 5–11 times/members higher than average community-based recycling programs in Thailand. This study identified key factors and insights from waste bank members to provide recommendations for improving the performance of other community-based programs. A face-to-face survey was conducted in Phang Khon Municipality (PKM), Thailand, where the waste bank is situated. A total of 386 questionnaires were analyzed by descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression analysis. The investigation tested how selected variables, such as socioeconomic factors, attitude toward sound waste management practices, types of waste separation, and additional willingness to pay for improving the waste management system, have an influence on different groups of recyclers and impact recycling performance. The findings revealed that members of the waste bank have different socioeconomic and pro-recycling characteristics, i.e., attitude toward proper waste management practices, recycling practice, and additional willingness to pay for improving the waste management system, compared to respondents who recycle through direct waste selling, and who do not recycle. Based on key factor findings in this study, policy recommendation for waste management entities are provided.

Preventing food wastage is a key element of sustainable resource management. But as food waste is still generated at high volumes, priority is placed on its proper management as a resource, maximising sustainability benefits. This study, by integrating a multi-criteria decision analysis with a sustainability assessment approach, develops a screening and decision support framework for comparing the sustainability performance of food waste management options. A structured process for selecting criteria based on the consideration of environmental, economic and social aspects related to region-specific food waste system planning, policy and management has been developed. Two food waste management options, namely the use of food waste disposal units, which grind food waste at the household’s kitchen sink and discharge it to the sewer, and the anaerobic co-digestion of separately collected food waste with sewage sludge, were selected for comparison due to their potential to create synergies between local authorities, waste and water companies, with local circumstances determining which of the two options to adopt. A simplified process used for assessing and comparing the two food waste management options in the Anglian region in the UK, indicated that there are benefits in using the framework as a screening tool for identifying which option may be the most sustainable. To support decision-making, a detailed analysis that incorporates stakeholders’ perspectives is required. An additional use of the framework can be in providing recommendations for optimising food waste management options in a specific region, maximising their sustainability performance.

Municipal solid waste management is a major environmental issue facing modern cities due to risks posed to humans and emissions of greenhouse gases. In China, landfills are among the main management options used in urban centers. Other options for municipal solid waste treatment include waste minimization, material recycling, and recovery of energy. An integrated municipal solid waste management system must utilize these alternatives in an optimal manner while accounting for system constraints. This paper presents a hybrid approach for planning a carbon-constrained municipal solid waste management system for Qingdao City. The method is based on Life Cycle Carbon Accounting and Carbon Emission Pinch Analysis. First, the amount of carbon emissions released during municipal solid waste treatment in Qingdao City is calculated using Life Cycle Carbon Accounting. Then, Carbon Emission Pinch Analysis is conducted to evaluate management options for treatment of municipal solid waste under specified emissions targets. Four scenarios are assessed wherein alternative combinations of municipal solid waste treatment methods are combined for the case of Qingdao City.