Waste sorting in apartments: integrating the perspective of the user

In order to increase resource recovery from solid waste, better sorting of household waste is needed. This article reports on a case study about waste sorting infrastructure performance carried out in two buildings in Gothenburg, Sweden. Results from the study reveal mismatches between users' needs and what the system offers, affecting the sorting rates and quality of the sorted material. Frequent sorting errors were observed from the tenants in these apartment buildings, where more than 70% of the discards that go in the mixed waste could be sorted out into other available fractions, with biodegradable waste being the most neglected. Hazardous waste was often discarded wrongly and recurrent errors were observed in the containers available for sorting different packaging material. Given the performance observed, initial suggestions are made for housing companies to rethink the sorting system they offer to their tenants (i.e. accessible space for electronic waste, more space for biodegradable waste, possibility of sorting textiles, etc.). Most importantly this paper makes the case that housing companies have the opportunity to provide sorting infrastructure that is designed for the user, rather than just fitted to the waste management system

We want to sort! Assessing households' preferences for sorting waste

Support of Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education as well as Foundation for Polish Science is gratefully acknowledged.There are two major ways in which solid waste can be sorted and recycled - at the household level, when households are required to sort waste into a given number of categories, or in specialised sorting facilities. Traditionally, it has been thought that sorting at the household level is an inconvenience, as it uses space and requires time and effort. Our study provides empirical evidence to the contrary, indicating that home sorting is a net source of utility for some people. Through a carefully designed choice experiment we collected stated choices from members of a Polish municipality with respect to the way their waste is sorted and how often it is collected. In the hypothetical scenario employed, respondents were informed that waste will be sorted anyway - if not at the household level then at a specialised sorting facility. Interestingly, analysis shows that a large group of people are willing to sort waste at the household level even if unsorted waste would be collected at no extra cost. For a minority, increased home sorting of waste would, however, impose a loss of utility. Overall, our results indicate that most respondents preferred to sort waste themselves if given the choice. We provide a few possible explanations of this perhaps surprising result, including the desire to promote a green external image, and a concern about the effectiveness of separation activities performed by others.PostprintPeer reviewe

Do not Trash the Incentive! Monetary incentives and waste sorting

This paper examines whether monetary incentives are an effective tool for increasing domestic waste sorting. We exploit the exogenous variation in the waste management policies experienced during the years 1999-2008 by the 95 municipalities in the district of Treviso (Italy). We estimate with a panel analysis that pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) incentive schemes increase by 12.3% the sorted-total waste ratio. This increase reflects a change in the behavior of households, who keep unaltered the production of total waste but sort it to a larger extent. Our data show that household behavior is also influenced by the policies of adjacent municipalities.Incentives, environment, waste management, PAYT

The Largest Environmental Movement: Recycling and Consumption Work in Sweden

By sorting their waste for recycling, Swedes are told that they are part of 'Sweden's largest environmental movement' (Avfall Sverige, 2008). Recycling in Sweden is understood as an environmental action by all parties within society (including consumers, municipalities, and producers) and the country is proud of its identity as a world-leader on environmental issues. The system for recycling in Sweden asks a lot of the consumer who must not only sort their waste into different fractions but transport it to the appropriate bring station. Yet the country achieves high rates of materials (33 per cent) and biological recycling (15 per cent) and they proudly proclaim to recycle 99 per cent of their waste, with their belief that incineration with energy recovery is a form of recycling (Avfall Sverige, 2012). This paper explores how recycling has developed as an everyday ethical practice, considering the role of different institutions in the promotion of recycling and responsible waste management. This paper has been developed as part of an ERC-funded project, 'Consumption Work and Societal Divisions of Labour', whose key aim is to demonstrate the role that consumers play in the labour process, using comparative methods. In the case of recycling, by sorting their waste, consumers play an integral role in the division of labour within waste management in Sweden and their role differs substantially to the role of consumers in England (the other country in which recycling consumption work has been explored, see Wheeler, 2013). This paper illustrates how the consumer is encouraged to perform this work, drawing attention to what the work actually comprises. It also uncovers the organisations that shape this distinctive system of provision and moral economy of recycling

DEVELOPMENT DRIVERS OF WASTE RECYCLING IN NSUKKA URBAN AREA, SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA

This article examines drivers of waste recovery and recycling in the informal waste sector in Nsukka urban area of Enugu State, southeastern Nigeria. Data on socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of waste pickers and waste dealers in the area were obtained using questionnaire survey, ethnographic interviews and field observations. Analyses of the data indicate that waste pickers play a crucial role in the waste recovery and recycling process. Waste dealers add value to materials through sorting, cleaning and processing, and also provide a vital link between waste pickers and industry. The article contextualizes waste recycling activities within the development and socio-cultural framework of the region, and examines socio-economic and demographic attributes that tend to predispose individuals to making a living from the recycle trade .Contributions of the informal recycling sector in Nsukka towards the Millennium Development Goals are also examined.Informal sector; Millennium Development Goals; Nsukka; recycling; socio-demographic attributes

Social norms, morals and self-interest as determinants of pro-environment behaviours: the case of household recycling.

This paper considers the role which selfish, moral and social incentives and pressures play in explaining the extent to which stated choices over pro-environment behaviours vary across individuals. The empirical context is choices over household waste contracts and recycling actions in Poland. A theoretical model is used to show how cost-based motives and the desire for a positive self and social image combine to determine the utility from alternative choices of recycling behaviour. We then describe a discrete choice experiment designed to empirically investigate the effects such drivers have on stated choices. A hybrid logit model is used to link statements over attitudes to recycling to choices, dealing with a potential endogeneity problem caused by the joint effects of un-observables on attitudes and choices. We find that a substantial share of our respondents prefer to sort their waste at home rather than in a central sorting facility. This preference is associated with a moral/intrinsic motivation, involving a belief that sorting at home is more thorough than central sorting

Дослідження кінематики пристрою для сортування твердих побутових відходів

Запропоновані аналітичні залежності основних кінематичних і геометричних параметрів облаштування для сортування пружних складових твердих побутових відходів. Отримані раціональні значення основних кінематичних і геометричних параметрів облаштування для сортування пружних складових твердих побутових відходів.Offered analytical dependencies main cinematic and geometric parameters of device for sorting springy forming hard domestic waste. Received rational importances main cinematic and geometric parameters of device for sorting springy forming hard domestic waste

Participation Traders Separating Waste In Pasar Baru Tampan Sub District Pekanbaru City

Garbage is defined as something that is not used anymore, unused, or something that is thrown away, which is derived from human activities and does not happen by itself. The market is one of the human activities that produce large amounts of garbage every day, when the waste sorting system is not good, it will make it difficult to carry out waste management and will have an impact on health directly or indirectly. This study aims to determine the factors associated with the participation of traders in waste sorting in Tampan Sub district  Pasar Baru  Pekanbaru.This study is quantitative research with cross sectional design. This research was conducted April 2015, sample in this study is 79 merchants. Data were collected by using questionnaires and observation. Data analysis for bivariate with chi-square test with 95% confidence level with α = 0.05. The results showed that there is a relationship between education (OR = 2,60  ; CI: 1,08-3,67),  socialization  (OR = 3,10; CI: 2,58-5,99) availability of trash waste (OR = 8,25 ; CI: 2,98-7,55 with waste sorting participation

Perencanaan Sistem Pengelolaan Sampah Terpadu Berbasis Masyarakat (Studi Kasus: Rw 03 Kelurahan Sumurboto Kecamatan Banyumanik Kota Semarang)

[Integrated Community-Based Solid Waste Management Planning (Case Study: RW 03 Kelurahan Sumurboto Kecamatan Banyumanik)] Integrated community-based solid waste management consisted by preliminary stage and solid waste management planing stage. Preparation stage begun with community preparing by issue emergence, survey, introduction to community, comparative study to KSM Sampangan, and commenced community forum. Planning stage consisted management planing, implementation planning, and post-implemantation planning. Solid waste management included sorting and containing act, daily waste will be collected by cart with sorting sack equipped and carried to werehouse for sorting and containing. The sorting residue will be carried to TPS Murbei RW 02 Kelurahan Sumurboto with cart. Household waste will be composted by resident, meanwhile valuable waste will be traded weekly. For the planning implementation cost, Rp 69.152.400,00 required. As for the management funding, it will be came from community contribution and waste trading. The net gain of management will be used for community itself and improvement of the residental environment. On the other hand, the regulation referred on Perda Kota Semarang Nomor 6 Tahun 2012 and standard operational procedure of waste management in RW 03 Kelurahan Sumurboto. By referred on those regulation, community should be able to decrease waste generation by become less consumptive, waste sorting, composting, paid monthly contribution, and suggested ideas for the improvement of management. Sorting and Composting will be done in phases every year, next stage was monitoring and evaluation continously by KSM RW 03