A tale of two cities: the emergence of urban waste systems in a developed and a developing city
A tale of two cities: the emergence of urban waste systems in a developed and a developing city
Developing cities have historically looked to developed cities as exemplary models for waste management systems and practices without considering the consequent resource requirements or the key characteristics of the local setting. However, direct adoption of developed cities’ approaches without proper consideration of the local circumstances may lead to unsustainable future waste management in developing cities. This study evaluates waste management in London and Kuala Lumpur, representing developed and developing cities, focusing on the integration of policy changes, socio-economic background and waste data trends on a multi-decadal scale. This analysis reveals the gradual implementation of initiatives, the challenges faced and the attempted solutions that were applied differently in both cities. Conceptual models of waste management status in different scenarios for both cities were developed. These models highlight that societal behaviour shifts from minimal waste generation (wasteless) to throw-away society (wasteful) and a drive to achieve sustainable waste behaviour with integration of resource recovery and waste minimization (wasting less). A detailed understanding of the evolution of waste management systems towards fulfilling public needs alongside rapid urbanization can provide new perspectives on future waste scenarios, especially in developing cities. Ultimately, reliable and accurate data are crucial to avoid inaccuracies in planning for future waste management.
Urbanisation, wastemanagement & disposal, Policy, sustainability, Developing countries, developed countries
Mukhtar, Erni Mariana
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Williams, Ian
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Shaw, Peter
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Ongondo, Francis
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29 August 2016
Mukhtar, Erni Mariana
1d5eba56-9295-4e37-b36c-5986878ca573
Williams, Ian
c9d674ac-ee69-4937-ab43-17e716266e22
Shaw, Peter
935dfebf-9fb6-483c-86da-a21dba8c1989
Ongondo, Francis
4d06d242-35b1-4856-beaa-9f61f07c135e
Mukhtar, Erni Mariana, Williams, Ian, Shaw, Peter and Ongondo, Francis
(2016)
A tale of two cities: the emergence of urban waste systems in a developed and a developing city.
Recycling.
(doi:10.3390/recycling1020254).
Abstract
Developing cities have historically looked to developed cities as exemplary models for waste management systems and practices without considering the consequent resource requirements or the key characteristics of the local setting. However, direct adoption of developed cities’ approaches without proper consideration of the local circumstances may lead to unsustainable future waste management in developing cities. This study evaluates waste management in London and Kuala Lumpur, representing developed and developing cities, focusing on the integration of policy changes, socio-economic background and waste data trends on a multi-decadal scale. This analysis reveals the gradual implementation of initiatives, the challenges faced and the attempted solutions that were applied differently in both cities. Conceptual models of waste management status in different scenarios for both cities were developed. These models highlight that societal behaviour shifts from minimal waste generation (wasteless) to throw-away society (wasteful) and a drive to achieve sustainable waste behaviour with integration of resource recovery and waste minimization (wasting less). A detailed understanding of the evolution of waste management systems towards fulfilling public needs alongside rapid urbanization can provide new perspectives on future waste scenarios, especially in developing cities. Ultimately, reliable and accurate data are crucial to avoid inaccuracies in planning for future waste management.
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Recycling-EM-2016
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Accepted/In Press date: 16 August 2016
e-pub ahead of print date: 29 August 2016
Published date: 29 August 2016
Keywords:
Urbanisation, wastemanagement & disposal, Policy, sustainability, Developing countries, developed countries
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 413576
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/413576
ISSN: 2313-4321
PURE UUID: 856d4d90-a263-49e1-ab5c-7a5e2e4fd453
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Date deposited: 29 Aug 2017 16:30
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:43
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Author:
Erni Mariana Mukhtar
Author:
Francis Ongondo
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