The consumption and recycling collection system of PET bottles: A case study of Beijing,China

After studying the recycling collection system of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles worldwide, the authors conducted an intercept survey in Beijing. Two separate questionnaires were issued, one questionnaire to PET bottle consumers and one to PET bottle recyclers. In this study, consumers are defined as people that consume PET-bottled beverages in their daily life. Recyclers were defined as those involved in the collection and recycling of PET bottles. These include scavengers, itinerant waste buyers, small community waste-buying depots, medium/large redemption depots, and recycling companies. In total, 580 surveys were completed, including 461 by consumers and 119 by recyclers. The authors found that consumption of PET bottles in Beijing was nearly 100,000 tonnes in 2012. Age, occupation, gender, and education were identified as significant factors linked to PET-bottled beverage consumption, while income was not a significant factor. 90% Of post-consumed PET bottles were collected by informal collectors (i.e., scavengers and itinerant waste buyers). The survey also found that nearly all PET bottles were reprocessed by small factories that were not designed with pollution control equipment, which allows them to offer higher prices for waste recyclable bottles. As Beijing is trying to build a formal recycling collection system for recyclables, subsidies should be given to the formal recycling sector rather than being charged land use fees, and attention should also be given to informal recyclers that make their living from the collection of recyclables. Informal and formal sectors may work together by employing the scavengers and itinerant waste buyers for the formal sectors. In addition to the recycling of PET bottles, concern should also be allocated to reduce consumption, especially among young people, as they, compared to other groups, have a stronger demand for PET-bottled beverages and will be the main body of society.     

Recycling of plastic packaging waste in Bandung City,Indonesia

Economic growth, changing consumption and production patterns are resulting in rapid increase in the generation of plastic wastes, including plastic packaging waste (PPW). A variety of PPW is identified in the municipal solid waste (MSW) stream. In this paper, quantity and composition of PPW at generators (residential and nonresidential sectors) and at the informal sector of waste recycling were measured, and accordingly the flow of PPW within Bandung City, Indonesia was analyzed. Though the generation rate per capita is not so high (25.1 g per day), total PPW generated by 2.3 million inhabitants in Bandung becomes 58.4 tonnes per day (3.76 % of total MSW generated). Due to lack of integrated MSW management, most of PPW is neither collected properly nor disposed of in appropriate manner by the municipality. Collection of valuable wastes including PPW is done predominantly by the informal sector without regard to health and safety. It is predicted that total PPW recycled by various informal waste recycling players like scavengers, junkmen, intermediates, and dealers is 27.5 tonnes per day (64.6 % of total PPW generated). Interviews regarding the existing handling methods and incentives preferred by generators to increase the recycling rate are also presented.     

Research on solid waste management system: to improve existing situation in Corlu Town of Turkey

Over the past decades, uncontrolled population growth and rapid urbanization and industrialization have resulted in environmental problems in Corlu Town, Turkey. One of the most important problems is solid waste due to inadequate management practices. Nowadays, increasing public awareness of the environment compels local authorities to define and to adopt new solutions for waste management. This paper presents a general overview of current solid waste management practices in Corlu Town and principles of the recommended municipal solid waste (MSW) management system. In Corlu, 170 tonnes of municipal solid waste are generated each day, or 1.150 kg per capita per day. Approximately one-half of the municipal solid waste generated is organic material and 30% of the MSW consists of recyclable materials. The recommended system deals with maximizing recycling and minimizing landfilling of municipal solid waste, and consists of separation at source, collection, sorting, recycling, composting and sanitary landfilling. This study also analyzed the recommended system with respect to feasibility and economics. To evaluate whether the suggested system is cost effective or not, the operating cost of the recommended system and market prices of recyclable materials were compared, and the results show that the recommended system will reduce required landfill volume up to 27% of compared to the present situation. The profit of the recommended system is estimated to be about 80 million US dollars.     

Solid waste management practices in Turkey

As an economically developing country, Turkey has very well operated integrated solid waste management applications structured on modern facilities, besides over 2,000 scattered open dump areas in the country. Integrated waste management applications seem eligible for the metropolitan cities like Istanbul and Izmit (Kocaeli). Attempts have not been encouraging for the scattered regional settlements using central storage sites due to financial shortages and received rejections from nearby settlements. Small-scale compact solid waste management systems with materials recycling and composting can be more suitable alternatives in the small-scale regional settlements. The major constituents of municipal solid waste are organic in nature and approximately a quarter of municipal solid waste is recyclable. Although paper, including cardboard, is the main constituent, the composition of recyclable waste varies strongly by the source or the type of collection point. Solid wastes need primary treatment in order to be suitable for incineration and composting. Turkey needs to give more emphasis on the usage of modern solid waste removal technologies to overcome the overgrowing solid waste disposal problems.     

Evaluation of municipal solid waste flow in the Bandung metropolitan area, Indonesia

This article covers partial results for research which was carried out to determine the effectiveness of municipal solid waste (MSW) recycling in Bandung metropolitan urban areas. It focuses on the results of waste flow analysis as basic information in developing better MSW management systems, especially in applying the reduce, reuse, recycle (3Rs) concept. The dependence upon final disposal sites in MSW management and the difficulties in finding disposal sites have resulted in interest in the 3Rs concept. In this research, the determination of waste compositions and the potential of recycling were evaluated based on data from interviews with householders, members of the nonhousehold sector, and recycling actors and on measurement. The informal sector activities observed were mainly from handcart crews, mobile scavengers, transfer point scavengers, final disposal scavengers, waste traders, and recycling business people at several locations in Bandung and Cimahi cities. The estimated waste recycling and composting by stakeholders has not yet achieved 10% (wet weight) of the total waste generated. As in other major cities in developing countries, the informal sectors hold an important role in the recovery of usable materials from waste. However, inorganic waste recycling activities from this sector have not even reached 8% (wet weight) of the total waste generated.     

Quantifying the transport impacts of domestic waste collection strategies

This paper models the effects of three different options for domestic waste collection using data from three Hampshire authorities: (i) joint working between neighbouring waste collection authorities; (ii) basing vehicles at waste disposal sites; and (iii) alternate weekly collection of residual waste and dry recyclables. A vehicle mileage savings of 3% was modelled for joint working, where existing vehicle allocations to depots were maintained, which increased to 5.9% when vehicles were re-allocated to depots optimally. Vehicle mileage was reduced by 13.5% when the collection rounds were based out of the two waste disposal sites rather than out of the existing depots, suggesting that the former could be the most effective place to keep vehicles providing that travel arrangements for the crews could be made. Alternate weekly collection was modelled to reduce vehicle mileage by around 8% and time taken by 14%, when compared with a typical scenario of weekly collection of residual and fortnightly collection of recyclable waste. These results were based on an assumption that 20% of the residual waste would be directly diverted into the dry recyclables waste stream.     

Solid waste management practices and review of recovery and recycling operations in Turkey

This paper provides a general overview of solid waste data and management practices employed in Turkey during the last decade. Municipal solid waste statistics and management practices including waste recovery and recycling initiatives have been evaluated. Detailed data on solid waste management practices including collection, recovery and disposal, together with the results of cost analyses, have been presented. Based on these evaluations basic cost estimations on collection and sorting of recyclable solid waste in Turkey have been provided. The results indicate that the household solid waste generation in Turkey, per capita, is around 0.6 kg/year, whereas municipal solid waste generation is close to 1 kg/year. The major constituents of municipal solid waste are organic in nature and approximately 1/4 of municipal solid waste is recyclable. Separate collection programmes for recyclable household waste by more than 60 municipalities, continuing in excess of 3 years, demonstrate solid evidence for public acceptance and continuing support from the citizens. Opinion polls indicate that more than 80% of the population in the project regions is ready and willing to participate in separate collection programmes. The analysis of output data of the Material Recovery Facilities shows that, although paper, including cardboard, is the main constituent, the composition of recyclable waste varies strongly by the source or the type of collection point.     

Solid waste recycling in Rajshahi city of Bangladesh

Efficient recycling of solid wastes is now a global concern for a sustainable and environmentally sound management. In this study, traditional recycling pattern of solid waste was investigated in Rajshahi municipality which is the fourth largest city of Bangladesh. A questionnaire survey had been carried out in various recycle shops during April 2010 to January 2011. There were 140 recycle shops and most of them were located in the vicinity of Stadium market in Rajshahi. About 1906 people were found to be involved in recycling activities of the city. The major fraction of recycled wastes were sent to capital city Dhaka for further manufacture of different new products. Only a small amount of wastes, specially plastics, were processed in local recycle factories to produce small washing pots and bottle caps. Everyday, an estimated 28.13 tons of recycled solid wastes were handled in Rajshahi city area. This recycled portion accounted for 8.25% of the daily total generated wastes (341 ton d^?1), 54.6% of total recyclable wastes (51.49 ton d^?1) and 68.29% of readily recyclable wastes (41.19 ton d^?1). Major recycled materials were found to be iron, glass, plastic, and papers. Only five factories were involved in preliminary processing of recyclable wastes. Collecting and processing secondary materials, manufacturing recycled-content products, and then buying recycled products created a circle or loop that ensured the overall success of recycling and generated a host of financial, environmental, and social returns.     

Economic potential of recycling business in Lahore, Pakistan

The state of household waste recycling in Lahore city, Pakistan with a population of 7.2 million was analyzed. Data on solid waste recycling were gathered from residents of low-, middle- and high-income groups, as well as from scavengers and junkshops. The recycling activities in Lahore exert a significant impact on resource conservation, creation of jobs, provision of economic opportunity and reduction in the magnitude of waste disposal problems. A cost analysis is presented to show the income that can be generated through a well-planned recycling program. It is shown that 21.2% of all recyclable waste in Lahore is recycled, and it generates an amount of Rs. 271 million (US dollars 4.5 million) per year through the informal sector. However, if the recycling practice is owned by the formal sector, it can save an amount of Rs. 65 million by reducing the collection cost. If recycling is adopted as an industry, it can generate revenues of Rs. 530 million (US dollars 8.8 million) per year and can also save enormous amount of energy, as well as the natural resources.     

北京和上海居民旧衣物回收再利用体系建设初探

北京和上海在迈向国际化大都市进程中,随着人口的迅速增长,生活垃圾产生量与日俱增,垃圾减量从源头做起。旧衣物作为可回收、可再利用资源,现有的垃圾分类标准和回收箱的设置,不利于旧衣物的回收和再利用。目前,北京和上海在政府的支持和推动下,设专项开展旧衣物回收试点工作,已取得良好的效果。未来,如何使北京和上海旧衣物回收再利用成为一种常态,仍需政府的支持和全社会的共同参与。     

Contribution of cooperative sector recycling to greenhouse gas emissions reduction: A case study of Ribeirão Pires,Brazil

Solid waste, including municipal waste and its management, is a major challenge for most cities and among the key contributors to climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced through recovery and recycling of resources from the municipal solid waste stream. In São Paulo, Brazil, recycling cooperatives play a crucial role in providing recycling services including collection, separation, cleaning, stocking, and sale of recyclable resources. The present research attempts to measure the greenhouse gas emission reductions achieved by the recycling cooperative Cooperpires, as well as highlight its socioeconomic benefits. Methods include participant observation, structured interviews, questionnaire application, and greenhouse gas accounting of recycling using a Clean Development Mechanism methodology. The results show that recycling cooperatives can achieve important energy savings and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and suggest there is an opportunity for Cooperpires and other similar recycling groups to participate in the carbon credit market. Based on these findings, the authors created a simple greenhouse gas accounting calculator for recyclers to estimate their emissions reductions.     

Solid waste characterization and recycling potential for a university campus

Integrated waste management systems are one of the greatest challenges for sustainable development. For these systems to be successful, the first step is to carry out waste characterization studies. In this paper are reported the results of a waste characterization study performed in the Campus Mexicali I of the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC). The aim of this study was to set the basis for implementation of a recovery, reduction and recycling waste management program at the campus. It was found that the campus Mexicali I produces 1ton of solid wastes per day; more than 65% of these wastes are recyclable or potentially recyclable. These results showed that a program for segregation and recycling is feasible on a University Campus. The study also showed that the local market for recyclable waste, under present conditions - number of recycling companies and amounts of recyclables accepted - can absorb all of these wastes. Some alternatives for the potentially recyclables wastes are discussed. Finally some strategies that could be used to reduce waste at the source are discussed as well.     

Recycling in Davis,California

The waste collection and recycling programme at Davis, California, is described. The programme provides for separate collection of paper, glass, metal and garden waste, in addition to garbage collection; the public may deliver used motor oil and sell clean waste aluminium to the recycling center; garden waste and leaves are composted. Public relations activities are described. Although the recycling programme does not make money, but just covers the cost of operation, the environmental and social benefits are important.     

Management of recycling in the Gulf Co-operation Council states

Although some of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) member states have placed recycling at the top of their waste management priorities, the low cost of landfill and the availability of land, usually old sand or gravel quarries, make recycling programs infeasible, uneconomical and unachievable. The only comprehensive form of recycling available within the GCC states is recycling of paper and cartons. The majority of the GCC states never set national or regional recycling targets. The cost of recycling in the GCC states region could be moderate to high depending on the collection system selected for the recycling program. Almost all of the cities within the GCC states use mechanised systems for daily collection of municipal solid waste (MSW). Therefore, the same daily collection system used for MSW might well be used for collection of recyclable materials, both on the same day and at the same time, or according to a different timetable. This paper provides strategies for developing an effective recycling marketing program and discusses regional co-ordination options.     

Estimating the public preferences for solid waste management programmes using choice experiments in Macao.

This paper reports on the potential to apply the choice experiment method to understand the public's preferences for solid waste management programmes in Macao. A random sample survey of 260 respondents in Macao was conducted during the summer in 2004. The survey data was analysed using conditional multinomial logit models. The study results indicate that Macao residents prefer: (1) waste segregation and recycling at source; (2) noise reduction during waste collection and transportation and (3) lower garbage fees. The study concludes that choice experiment is a reliable tool in the analysis of respondents' preferences for developing a suitable solid waste management programme in Macao.     

Medical waste management in Trachea region of Turkey: suggested remedial action.

The main objective of this paper was to analyse the present status of medical waste management in the Trachea region of Turkey and subsequently to draw up a policy regarded with generation, collection, on-site handling, storage, processing, recycling, transportation and safe disposal of medical wastes. This paper also presents the results of study about awareness on how to handle expired drugs. Initially all health-care establishments in Tekirda?, Edirne and Kyrklareli provinces in Trachea region were identified and the amounts of hospital wastes generated by each of them were determined. Current medical waste-management practices, including storage, collection, transportation and disposal, in surveyed establishments were identified. Finally, according to results, remedial measurements for medical waste management in these establishments were suggested. Unfortunately, medical wastes are not given proper attention and these wastes are disposed of together with municipal and industrial solid wastes. The current disposal method is both a public health and environmental hazard. When landfill sites are visited, many scavengers can be seen sorting for recyclable materials, a practice which is dangerous for the scavengers. In addition, it was found that some staff in health-care establishments are unaware of the hazard of medical wastes. It is concluded that a new management system, which consists of segregation, material substitution, minimization, sanitary landfilling and alternative medical waste treatment methods should be carried out. For the best appropriate medical waste management system, health-care establishment employers, managers and especially the members of house- keeping divisions should be involved in medical waste management practice.     

Comparison of old and new municipal solid waste management systems in Denizli, Turkey

Rapid economic growth, increasing population and change in living standards contribute to increasing the generation rate of municipal solid waste (MSW) in Denizli city, like other Turkish cities. The improper and poor MSW management system (old system) in Denizli caused environmental problems originating from the uncontrolled release of methane and leachate. In addition, the disposal of recyclable materials in unsanitary landfills is responsible for the consumption and destruction of natural sources. This paper presents a general overview of old and new MSW management practices in Denizli. Detailed data on MSW management practices including collection, transportation, disposal and recycling have been presented. The amount of solid waste generated in Denizli over the last decade has increased steadily over the years, from 108,500 tons in 1995 to 179,495 tons in 2006. The average MSW generation rate was found to be 1.23kg/day per capita. The major constituent of MSW in Denizli is food waste, but the percentage of recyclable waste has increased significantly recently. Except for metal wastes, the percentages of recyclable waste materials in Denizli are higher than in all neighborhood cities. The objective of this study is to compare the old and new MSW management systems in Denizli city. The MSW management system has been changed entirely last five years. A dumpsite was closed and a sanitary landfill with a composting facility was constructed. In addition, source separated collection has been carried out since 2002. The quantity of recyclable waste collected increased from 195 to 1549 tons. The amount of recyclable waste will continue to be increased by expanding the source separation collection system to all the districts of the city and preventing scavenging. Thus, revenue from recyclable waste ($7227 in 2006) is expected to increase. In addition, the capacity of the composting facility will be increased. Most importantly, information to increase public participation and awareness in municipal recovery programs has to be provided.     

Measuring bulky waste arisings in Hong Kong

All too often, waste authorities either assume that they know enough about their bulky waste stream or that it is too insignificant to deserve attention. In this paper, we use Hong Kong as an example to illustrate that official bulky waste figures can actually be very different from the reality and therefore important waste management decisions made based on such statistics may be wrong too. This study is also the first attempt in Hong Kong to outline the composition of bulky waste.It was found that about 342 tonnes/day of wood waste were omitted by official statistics owing to incomplete records on actual bulky waste flow. This is more than enough to provide all the feedstock needed for one regular-sized wood waste recycling facility in Hong Kong. In addition, the proportion of bulky waste in the municipal solid waste (MSW) streams in Hong Kong should be about 6.1% instead of the officially stated 1.43%. Admittedly, there are limitations with this study. Yet, present findings are suggestive of significant MSW data distortion in Hong Kong.     

The collection system for residential recyclables in communities in Haidian District, Beijing: a possible approach for China recycling

Recycling and reusing recyclables is an important way to solve the municipal solid waste (MSW) problem. As the collection of solid waste takes up the largest percentage of MSW management budgets, improving the collection of recyclables is important. Since the decline of government-run waste buying depots in the late 1980s, the collection of recyclables from households and waste deposit sites in China is done by buyers with small informal bases and waste pickers, who are usually unskilled rural people who have come to the cities. Because of this, the current system is seen to have social problems. So, the recyclable collection system has both social as well as economic significance. China is in the process of rapid industrialization and urbanization, and a new mode of community collection system is emerging. It operates by market mechanisms, with waste collection companies that are supported by the municipal government, establishing recycle service sites, and employing workers to buy recyclables door-to-door. This paper is a case study of the new system in the Haidian District, Beijing. It summarizes the system, compares it to experiences in other countries and discusses whether the new approach contributes to resources recycling in China.     

以回收利甩标准破解“垃圾围城”

生活垃圾处理已经成为各城市面临的难题。在已有研究基础上分析了城市垃圾分类收集存在的严重问题和影响居民实施垃圾分类的关键因素,概述了现有的垃圾分类收集标准和废弃产品回收利用标准内容,最后提出加强实施相关标准、促进垃圾分类收集的建议。