scholarly journals A Review on Global E-Waste Management: Urban Mining towards a Sustainable Future and Circular Economy

2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 647
Author(s):  
Venkatesha Murthy ◽  
Seeram Ramakrishna
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Informal Sector ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Acid Leaching ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Unskilled Labor ◽  
Producer Responsibility

The trending need for smarter electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) is surging globally by the year and is giving rise to huge amounts of outdated EEE going into landfills. This has caused enormous threats to our environment and the health of living beings due to its unsustainable ways of collection, treatment and disposal of waste EEE or E-waste. With increasing E-waste, the formal sectors lack infrastructure, technology and expertise required to collect and process the E-waste in an environmentally sound manner. This article is intended to bring out the global best practices in the field of E-waste management, to shed light on the importance of policy implementation, technology requirement and social awareness to arrive at a sustainable and circular economy. Although about 71% of the world’s populace has incorporated E-waste legislation, there is a need to enforce and implement a common legal framework across the globe. The article explains the gap created among the stakeholders and their knowledge on the roles and responsibilities towards a legalized E-waste management. It further explains the lack of awareness on extended producer responsibility (EPR) and producer responsibility schemes. Despite various legislations in force, numerous illegal practices such as acid leaching, open incineration, illegal dumping carried out by the informal sector are causing harm to the environment, natural resources and the safety of unorganized and unskilled labor. The article discusses the crucial need for awareness amongst stakeholders, consumer behavior and the global challenges and opportunities in this field to achieve a low-carbon, circular economy. To conclude, the article highlights the importance of common legal framework, EPR and licenses, transformation of the informal sector, benchmark technologies, responsibilities of various stakeholders and entrepreneurial opportunities to enhance the formal capacity. The article wholly advocates for transparency, accountability and traceability in the E-waste recycling chain, thus creating a greener environment and protecting our planet and natural resources for future generations.

scholarly journals Entrenching Waste Hierarchy for Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management in Kenya

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 300-325
Author(s):  
Wambua Kituku ◽  
Collins Odote ◽  
Charles Okidi ◽  
Patricia Kameri-Mbote
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Solid Waste Management ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
Municipal Solid Waste Management ◽  
Municipal Solid Wastes ◽  
Waste Hierarchy

Prioritizing waste prevention, reuse, recycling and recovery of materials and energy over disposal through landfilling, offers the waste hierarchy approach (WHA) a sustainable pathway to the management of municipal solid wastes (MSW) and realization of a circular economy. The concept is now part of the legal framework in some developing countries and its implementation has been credited for addressing waste problems linked to high rates of economic growth and urbanization. Even though Africa Vision 2063 prioritizes improvements in urban waste recycling in the continent, much of the MSW generated on the continent is disposed through landfilling evidencing weak adoption of the WHA. This article contends that because WHA is not adequately incorporated in the current legal framework at national and sub-national levels of government, Kenya is unlikely to achieve a circular economy approach necessary for realizing sustainable waste management. Operationalization of the WHA is impeded by inadequate financing, weak institutional coordination, gaps in private sector and informal actors’ engagement and risks associated with investments in large-scale waste recovery initiatives. It is therefore necessary for Kenya to elaborate the WHA in its legal framework at both national and county level, while ensuring adequate financing, involvement of informal actors, incentivization of private sector and adoption of waste planning procedures.

Empirical Investigation of Formal and Informal Sectors in Waste Recycling of the Municipal Waste Management System of Developing Countries: The Case Study of Lagos State

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oladipupo Salau ◽  
Lalita Sen ◽  
Samuel Osho ◽  
Oluwatoyin Adejonwo-Osho
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Informal Sector ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
Recycling Rate ◽  
Waste Collection ◽  
Formal Sector ◽  
Municipal Waste Management ◽  
Lagos State ◽  
Formal And Informal Sectors

Municipalities in metropolitan cities of developing countries often find it difficult to cope with the onerous task of providing waste services to their citizens due to financial constraints and poor infrastructure.  In most of these cities, waste collection services are grossly inadequate as less than half the population is served with regular and efficient waste services.  However, the shortcomings of the formal waste management system are compensated by the activities of the informal sector engaged in waste collection and make significant contributions to the MWMS through material recovery and waste recycling. In view of this, the study focuses on the roles of the formal and informal sector in municipal waste management with regards to their impacts on the recycling rate of Lagos State. In this study, we measured and compared the recycling rates between the formal and informal sectors to determine their impacts on the recycling rates of Lagos State. The study relies on primary field data, site visits and observations backed by secondary sources to investigate the range of informal sector activities in comparison to the formal sector. The findings indicate that, while both sub-sectors play significant roles in the MWMS, the informal recycling activities contribute more to the recycling rate of Lagos state than the formal sector.

scholarly journals Promoting the Circular Economy via Waste-to-Power (WTP) in Taiwan

Resources ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen-Tien Tsai
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Waste Incineration ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Recycling Rate ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Sanitary Landfills ◽  
The Status

The waste management sector significantly contributes to emissions of ambient air pollutants and greenhouse gases, especially in sanitary landfills. In this regard, Taiwan is moving toward a circular economy society via resource recycling and waste-to-power (WTP) in the waste management. In the past decade, the recycling rate of general waste (including recyclable waste, kitchen waste, and bulk waste) increased from 40.97% in 2008 to 60.22% in 2017. On the other hand, 24 large-scale waste incineration plants gained about 2.5 TW-h of net electricity generation, based on 6.25 million metric tons of waste incinerated in 2017. The objectives of this paper are to update the status of waste generation and its WTP in Taiwan. Based on these updated data, the preliminary benefit analysis of WTP showed annual benefits of equivalent electricity charge of around $US 3.3 × 108 (using the feed-in-tariff rate 3.8945 NTD$/kW-h; 1 $US ≈ 30 NTD$) and equivalent CO2 mitigation of about 1.4 million metric tons (using the electricity emissions factor 0.55 kg CO2 equivalent/kW-h). In order to gain environmental, energy, and economic benefits, the regulatory and technological measures for promoting WTP are briefly summarized to create another low-carbon society in Taiwan.

scholarly journals Circular Economy in Low-Carbon Transition

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (23) ◽  
pp. 8061
Author(s):  
Anna Mazzi ◽  
Jingzheng Ren
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Modern Business

The circular economy represents a fundamental pillar for modern business models and sustainable development targets: the mandatory claim “reduce, reuse, recycle” is the answer to the global criticalities of natural resources depletion and waste increase [...]

scholarly journals Recycling concrete debris, economic and environmental effects

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (SE) ◽  
pp. 293-299
Author(s):  
Effat Samie Ghahfarokhe ◽  
Vaheed Shahhossienee
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Environmental Effects ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
Construction And Demolition Waste ◽  
Demolition Waste ◽  
Waste Concrete

In this paper, to identify concrete methods of construction and demolition waste management and recycling waste concrete benefits were examined. Costs were calculated in different modes. By comparing them it was found that concrete debris can lead to effective recycling program. Concrete waste recycling programs can result in large economic savings and .this debris can be an affordable way to provide concrete preparation centers, as well as to increase recycling of such waste can be reduced use of natural resources and help protect the environment.  

scholarly journals Circular economy is Ukraine: adaptation of European experience

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (1) ◽  
pp. 212-222
Author(s):  
Maryana Ruda ◽  
◽  
Tetiana Yaremchuk ◽  
Maryana Bortnikova ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Environmentally Friendly ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Use Of Resources

The article examines the development of the circular economy in Ukraine, as well as the prospects of implementation of the experience of leading EU countries in the field of circular economy in Ukraine. The relevance of the study is that for now in Ukraine very few steps have been taken towards a circular economy, although everyone understands its importance. First of all, the meaning of the circular economy is revealed and the main advantages of its implementation in Ukraine are determined. The advantages of the transition to a circular economy are as follows: significant material savings, sustainable use of resources, stimulating innovations, the ability to meet the needs of the ever-growing population of the Earth, economic growth, and income. The circular or closed-loop economy involves the recovery, reuse, and rational use of resources and, through services and smart solutions, leads to added value. The state of resource management in Ukraine and the EU, in particular waste management, is analyzed. It is established that in the field of waste management Ukraine lags far behind developed European countries. Today, huge amounts of waste have accumulated in Ukraine, and currently, there is no developed infrastructure to decide this problem, and landfills themselves have become sources of great environmental danger. The new EU policy and the policy of Ukraine in the field of circular economy are analyzed. Taking into account the best European practices, recommendations are given to Ukraine on the transition from a traditional, linear economy to a circular economy. The main ones are as follows: it is necessary to change the structure of public procurement and focus on environmentally friendly types of production; it is necessary to accelerate the transition of Ukraine from the traditional model of public procurement to the concept of “green” procurement; it is necessary to develop an effective legislative and regulatory framework for the functioning of the circular economy; it is necessary to move to more efficient business models (such as ecodesign, repair, reuse, recovery and exchange of products and maximum prevention of waste generation) and stimulate the development of environmentally friendly technologies; it is expedient to develop programs of financing of projects in the field of circular economy; it is necessary to promote better awareness of consumers about the concept of “circular” economy, environmental “footprint” of goods and services, as well as sustainable consumption; it is necessary to change the method of production and consumption of goods from short-term to long-term, as well as to encourage the economy, businesses and consumers to maximize waste recycling. It is also established that in general, Ukraine’s policy in the field of circular economy should be formed and implemented at all three levels: national, regional, and global. However, each of us can begin to change in the direction of a circular economy (for example, through conscious consumption and resource conservation). It is also important to realize the importance of sorting garbage because its removal to landfills and finding new ones is not the best solution. Garbage needs to be recycled, and this can only be done if it is sorted.

A model to rapidly assess informal electronic waste systems

2020 ◽  
pp. 0734242X2093222
Author(s):  
John-Michael Davis
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Informal Sector ◽  
Electronic Waste ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
Environmental Harm ◽  
Waste Collection ◽  
The Core ◽  
Formal Systems ◽  
Management Policies ◽  
Study Offer

Electronic waste (e-waste) policies have traditionally been based on extended producer responsibility (EPR) principles. In practice, EPR-based e-waste policies primarily involve the creation of regulated collection and recycling channels, with success tied to achieving high collection quotas. However, the majority of EPR programs, particularly those in the Global South, have achieved little success due to competition with the informal sector. Despite this, strikingly little is known of the scope and dynamics of informal e-waste flows and actors during the formulation of e-waste management policies. This study develops and pilots a replicable three-stage model for solid waste researchers, practitioners and policymakers to rapidly assess these informal e-waste systems. This model is demonstrated in Cuenca, Ecuador, and determined the destination of 50–80% of Cuenca’s e-waste over a period of three days. The methods used and findings that emerge from this study offer a strategy to rapidly quantify and understand the dynamics of informal e-waste systems to inform EPR-based policies in ways that place informal recyclers at the core of e-waste management. This not only provides creative opportunities for formal systems to achieve e-waste collection quotas through partnerships with the informal sector, but offers a pathway to preserve the livelihoods of marginalized populations reliant on e-waste recycling and decrease environmental harm.

scholarly journals Территории опережающего развития Хабаровского края в аспекте «зелёного» роста

2019 ◽  
pp. 23-34
Author(s):  
Зоя Мирзеханова ◽  
Анастасия Кольцова
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Russian Far East ◽  
Far East ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
Green Economy ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Global Trends ◽  
Advanced Development

В статье представлено авторское видение эколого-экономической ситуации в рамках формирования территорий опережающего развития в Хабаровском крае с позиции современной модели «зелёной экономики». Проведённый анализ показал, что выбранное направление развития демонстрирует усиление сырьевой направленности, однако в южных регионах есть и положительные тенденции в сторону приоритетных отраслей «зеленой экономики». В пределах Хабаровского края более 70% проектов соответствуют приоритетным отраслям, но даже в проектах связанных с экологоориентированными отраслями без внимания оставлены вопросы «озеленения» экономики. Territories of advanced development are special industrial zones with special legal regime for attracting investments. It is one of the modern facilitating instruments of the Russian Far East policy. The main objective of the article is to determine how this modern policy corresponds to the global trends in the field of the green economy. Green economy is an economic paradigm which promotes low carbon growth, efficient utilization of natural resources and assets. Far East region needs a sustainable economic growth that does not result in the natural resources depletion and environment damaging. The principal trends within the northern territories of advanced development are stated to be raw industries, mainly branches of oil and gas chemistry. However, in the southern regions of the Far East there are also positive trends towards the priority of green economy industries. In Khabarovsk Krai more than 70% of the projects relate to the priority industries of the green economy and only 2% of the projects are aimed at mining. Unfortunately, even in the projects connected with the ecofriendly industries issues of using green economy principles are disregarded. Under the present circumstances, eco-technology and innovations will be critical in providing opportunities for the ecological balance recovery, resulting in a more eco-friendly, sustainable and diversified regional economy. In the context of green economy special attention should be paid to such industries as waste recycling, tourism, power, agriculture, forestry, fishing and high-tech industries. It has been found that to achieve high social, economic and environmental efficiency it is expedient to expand territories of advanced development according to the green standards.

scholarly journals Waste management, informal recycling, environmental pollution and public health

2017 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Yang ◽  
Mingguo Ma ◽  
Julian R Thompson ◽  
Roger J Flower
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Environmental Pollution ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Informal Sector ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Waste Treatment ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries

With rapid population growth, especially in low-income and middle-income countries, the generation of waste is increasing at an unprecedented rate. For example, annual global waste arising from waste electrical and electronic equipment alone will have increased from 33.8 to 49.8 million tonnes between 2010 and 2018. Despite incineration and other waste treatment techniques, landfill still dominates waste disposal in low-income and middle-income countries. There is usually insufficient funding for adequate waste management in these countries and uptake of more advanced waste treatment technologies is poor. Without proper management, many landfills represent serious hazards as typified by the landslide in Shenzhen, China on 20 December 2015. In addition to formal waste recycling systems, approximately 15million people around the world are involved in informal waste recycling, mainly for plastics, metals, glass and paper. This review examines emerging public health challenges, in particular within low-income and middle-income countries, associated with the informal sector. While informal recyclers contribute to waste recycling and reuse, the relatively primitive techniques they employ, combined with improper management of secondary pollutants, exacerbate environmental pollution of air, soil and water. Even worse, insufficient occupational health measures expose informal waste workers to a range of pollutants, injuries, respiratory and dermatological problems, infections and other serious health issues that contribute to low life expectancy. Integration of the informal sector with its formal counterparts could improve waste management while addressing these serious health and livelihood issues. Progress in this direction has already been made notably in several Latin American countries where integrating the informal and formal sectors has had a positive influence on both waste management and poverty alleviation.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document