essay on waste management practices

Essay on Waste Management for Students and Teacher

500+ essay on waste management.

Essay on Waste Management -Waste management is essential in today’s society. Due to an increase in population, the generation of waste is getting doubled day by day. Moreover, the increase in waste is affecting the lives of many people.

For instance, people living in slums are very close to the waste disposal area. Therefore there are prone to various diseases. Hence, putting their lives in danger. In order to maintain a healthy life, proper hygiene and sanitation are necessary. Consequently, it is only possible with proper waste management .

The Meaning of Waste Management

Waste management is the managing of waste by disposal and recycling of it. Moreover, waste management needs proper techniques keeping in mind the environmental situations. For instance, there are various methods and techniques by which the waste is disposed of. Some of them are Landfills, Recycling , Composting, etc. Furthermore, these methods are much useful in disposing of the waste without causing any harm to the environment.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Methods for Waste Management

Recycling – Above all the most important method is the recycling of waste. This method does not need any resources. Therefore this is much useful in the management of waste . Recycling is the reusing of things that are scrapped of. Moreover, recycling is further converting waste into useful resources.

Landfills – Landfills is the most common method for waste management. The garbage gets buried in large pits in the ground and then covered by the layer of mud. As a result, the garbage gets decomposed inside the pits over the years. In conclusion, in this method elimination of the odor and area taken by the waste takes place.

Composting – Composting is the converting of organic waste into fertilizers. This method increases the fertility of the soil. As a result, it is helpful in more growth in plants. Furthermore it the useful conversion of waste management that is benefiting the environment.

Advantages of Waste Management

There are various advantages of waste management. Some of them are below:

Decrease bad odor – Waste produces a lot of bad odor which is harmful to the environment. Moreover, Bad odor is responsible for various diseases in children. As a result, it hampers their growth. So waste management eliminates all these problems in an efficient way.

Reduces pollution – Waste is the major cause of environmental degradation. For instance, the waste from industries and households pollute our rivers. Therefore waste management is essential. So that the environment may not get polluted. Furthermore, it increases the hygiene of the city so that people may get a better environment to live in.

Reduces the production of waste -Recycling of the products helps in reducing waste. Furthermore, it generates new products which are again useful. Moreover, recycling reduces the use of new products. So the companies will decrease their production rate.

It generates employment – The waste management system needs workers. These workers can do various jobs from collecting to the disposing of waste. Therefore it creates opportunities for the people that do not have any job. Furthermore, this will help them in contributing to society.

Produces Energy – Many waste products can be further used to produce energy. For instance, some products can generate heat by burning. Furthermore, some organic products are useful in fertilizers. Therefore it can increase the fertility of the soil.

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115 Waste Management Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Waste management is a crucial issue in today's world, as the amount of waste produced continues to grow at an alarming rate. From household trash to industrial waste, finding sustainable solutions for managing and reducing waste is essential for protecting the environment and public health.

If you're tasked with writing an essay on waste management, you may be struggling to come up with a topic that is both interesting and relevant. To help you get started, here are 115 waste management essay topic ideas and examples that you can use as inspiration for your own writing:

• The importance of proper waste management in protecting the environment
• The impact of waste management on public health
• Strategies for reducing household waste
• The role of recycling in waste management
• The benefits of composting for waste reduction
• The challenges of managing electronic waste
• The environmental impact of plastic waste
• The economic benefits of sustainable waste management practices
• The ethical implications of waste disposal methods
• The role of government in regulating waste management
• The impact of waste management on climate change
• The potential for waste-to-energy technologies to reduce landfill waste
• The importance of educating the public about waste management
• The role of businesses in implementing sustainable waste management practices
• The social justice implications of waste management
• The impact of waste management on wildlife and ecosystems
• The benefits of using biodegradable materials to reduce waste
• The challenges of managing construction and demolition waste
• The potential for using waste as a resource in circular economy models
• The role of technology in improving waste management processes
• The impact of food waste on global hunger and food security
• The benefits of implementing zero-waste initiatives in communities
• The role of NGOs in promoting sustainable waste management practices
• The potential for using drones to monitor and manage waste
• The impact of waste management on water quality
• The benefits of community-based waste management programs
• The challenges of managing hazardous waste
• The potential for using blockchain technology to track waste disposal
• The role of education in promoting sustainable waste management practices
• The impact of waste management on air quality
• The benefits of waste segregation and sorting programs
• The challenges of managing medical waste
• The potential for using robots to automate waste sorting processes
• The role of public-private partnerships in improving waste management
• The impact of waste management on urban planning and development
• The benefits of using anaerobic digestion to process organic waste
• The challenges of managing electronic waste in developing countries
• The potential for using machine learning algorithms to optimize waste collection routes
• The role of social media in raising awareness about waste management issues
• The impact of waste management on biodiversity conservation
• The benefits of implementing extended producer responsibility programs
• The challenges of managing marine litter
• The potential for using satellite imagery to monitor illegal waste dumping
• The role of indigenous communities in sustainable waste management practices
• The impact of waste management on land degradation
• The benefits of using biochar to improve soil quality
• The challenges of managing radioactive waste
• The potential for using 3D printing to create products from recycled materials
• The role of artists in raising awareness about waste management issues
• The impact of waste management on social inequality
• The benefits of implementing pay-as-you-throw waste pricing schemes
• The challenges of managing agricultural waste
• The potential for using blockchain technology to create a transparent waste management system
• The role of citizen science in monitoring waste pollution
• The impact of waste management on tourism
• The benefits of using drones to collect and transport waste
• The challenges of managing industrial waste
• The potential for using gene editing technologies to break down plastic waste
• The role of policymakers in promoting sustainable waste management practices
• The impact of waste management on public perception of cities
• The benefits of using algae to clean up wastewater
• The challenges of managing construction and demolition waste in urban areas
• The potential for using artificial intelligence to optimize waste management processes
• The role of community gardens in reducing food waste
• The impact of waste management on mental health
• The benefits of using green roofs to reduce stormwater runoff
• The challenges of managing asbestos waste
• The potential for using drones to monitor landfill sites
• The role of youth groups in promoting waste management education
• The impact of waste management on renewable energy production
• The benefits of implementing waste audits in businesses
• The challenges of managing wastewater treatment sludge
• The potential for using geospatial technologies to map waste hotspots
• The role of religious organizations in promoting waste reduction
• The impact of waste management on indigenous rights
• The benefits of using blockchain technology to create a circular economy
• The challenges of managing pharmaceutical waste
• The potential for using robots to clean up ocean plastic pollution
• The role of community activists in advocating for waste management reform
• The impact of waste management on green jobs creation
• The benefits of using drones to monitor illegal waste dumping
• The challenges of managing construction and demolition waste in rural areas
• The potential for using satellite imagery to track waste flows
• The role of citizen science in monitoring air quality near waste facilities
• The impact of waste management on water scarcity
• The benefits of using biopesticides to control pests in waste management facilities
• The challenges of managing medical waste in conflict zones
• The potential for using machine learning algorithms to predict waste generation patterns
• The role of grassroots organizations in promoting waste reduction
• The impact of waste management on mental well-being
• The benefits of using drones to monitor illegal waste dumping in remote areas
• The challenges of managing electronic waste in rural communities
• The potential for using blockchain technology to create a decentralized waste management system
• The role of community gardens in promoting sustainable waste management practices
• The impact of waste management on social cohesion
• The benefits of using drones to monitor waste collection routes
• The challenges of managing hazardous waste in developing countries
• The potential for using machine learning algorithms to optimize waste sorting processes
• The role of social entrepreneurs in developing innovative waste management solutions
• The benefits of using blockchain technology to create a transparent waste management system

These waste management essay topic ideas and examples cover a wide range of issues and perspectives, giving you plenty of options to explore in your writing. Whether you're interested in the environmental, social, economic, or technological aspects of waste management, there's sure to be a topic that piques your interest. Good luck with your essay, and happy writing!

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Essay on Waste Management

• Updated on  
• May 11, 2023

Every year, the amount of waste is doubling because of the increasing population around the world. The 3Rs, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle should be followed to help in waste management. Waste management is the need of the hour and should be followed by individuals globally. This is also a common essay topic in the school curriculum and various academic and competitive exams like IELTS , TOEFL , SAT , UPSC , etc. In this blog, let us explore how to write an essay on Waste Management.

This Blog Includes:

Tips for writing an essay on waste management , what is the meaning of waste management, essay on waste management in 200 words, essay on waste management in 300 words .

To write an impactful and scoring essay, here are some tips on how to manage waste and write a good essay:

• The initial step is to write an introduction or background information about the topic
• You must use a formal style of writing and avoid using slang language.
• To make an essay more impactful, write dates, quotations, and names to provide a better understanding
• You can use jargon wherever it is necessary, as it sometimes makes an essay complicated
• To make an essay more creative, you can also add information in bulleted points wherever possible
• Always remember to add a conclusion where you need to summarise crucial points
• Once you are done, read through the lines and check spelling and grammar mistakes before submission

Waste management is the management of waste by disposal and recycling of it. It requires proper techniques while keeping in mind the environmental situations. For example, there are various methods and techniques through which the waste is disposed of. Some of these are Landfills, Recycling, Composting, etc. These methods are useful in disposing of waste without causing any harm to the environment.

Sample Essays  on Waste Management

To help you write a perfect essay that would help you score well, here are some sample essays to give you an idea about the same.

One of the crucial aspects of today’s society is waste management. Due to a surge in population, the waste is generated in millions of tons day by day and affects the lives of a plethora of people across the globe. Mostly the affected people live in slums that are extremely close to the waste disposal areas; thus, they are highly prone to communicable and non-communicable diseases. These people are deprived of necessities to maintain a healthy life, including sanitation and proper hygiene. 

There are various methods and techniques for disposing of waste including Composting, Landfills, Recycling, and much more. These methods are helpful in disposing of waste without being harmful to the environment. Waste management is helpful in protecting the environment and creating safety of the surrounding environment for humans and animals. The major health issue faced by people across the world is environmental pollution and this issue can only be solved or prevented by proper waste management so that a small amount of waste is there in the environment. One of the prominent and successful waste management processes, recycling enables us not only in saving resources but also in preventing the accumulation of waste. Therefore it is very important to teach and execute waste management.

The basic mantra of waste management is” Refuse, Reuse, Reduce, Repurpose, and Recycle”. Waste management is basically the collection or accumulation of waste and its disposal. This process involves the proper management of waste including recycling waste generated and even generating useful renewable energy from it. One of the most recent initiatives taken by various countries at the local, national and international levels, waste management is a way of taking care of planet earth. This responsible act helps in providing a good and stable environment for the present and future generations. In India, most animals get choked and struggle till death because they consume waste on the streets.

So far many lives are lost, not only animals but also humans due to a lack of proper waste management. There are various methods and techniques for disposing of waste including Composting, Landfills, Recycling, and much more. These methods are helpful in disposing of waste without being harmful to the environment. Waste management is helpful in protecting the environment and creating safety of the surrounding environment for humans and animals. This process of waste management evolved due to industrialization as prior to these inventions simple burying was sufficient for disposing of waste.

One of the crucial things to control waste is creating awareness among people and this can only be achieved only when the governments and stakeholders in various countries take this health issue seriously. To communicate with various communities and reach each end of the country, the message can be communicated through media and related platforms. People also need to participate in waste management procedures by getting self-motivated and taking care of activities of daily living. These steps to create consciousness about waste management are crucial to guarantee the success and welfare of the people and most importantly our planet earth.

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We hope this blog has helped you structure a terrific essay on waste management. Planning to ace your IELTS, get expert tips from coaches at Leverage Live by Leverage Edu .

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Essay on Waste Management

Updated December 28, 2023

Introduction to Waste Management

Effective waste management is crucial in maintaining a sustainable and healthy environment. It involves the organized collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal of various waste materials generated by human activities. This comprehensive approach aims to reduce the adverse effects of waste on the environment, public health, and overall well-being. Proper waste management involves reducing, recycling, and responsibly disposing of waste to adopt environment-friendly practices. As our societies grow and urbanize, efficient waste management becomes increasingly vital in mitigating improper waste disposal’s ecological and health challenges. In this essay, we will delve into the significance of waste management, exploring its multifaceted dimensions and role in fostering a sustainable and responsible society.

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Importance of Proper Waste Management

1. environmental preservation.

• Prevention of Pollution: Proper waste management is paramount in preventing air, water , and soil pollution . Inadequate waste disposal can lead to harmful substances being released into the environment, contributing to degradation and contamination.
• Conservation of Ecosystems: By managing waste responsibly, we protect natural ecosystems from the adverse effects of pollution. This preservation is crucial for maintaining biodiversity, supporting ecological balance, and ensuring the sustainability of various species.

2. Public Health and Safety

• Disease Prevention: Inadequate waste management can spread diseases through contaminated water sources and the breeding of disease vectors. Proper waste disposal is essential in protecting the public’s health and stopping the spread of waterborne diseases.
• Cleaner Living Spaces: Well-managed waste reduces the risk of exposure to hazardous materials and enhances the overall cleanliness of living spaces. Communities benefit from a safer and healthier atmosphere as a result.

3. Resource Conservation

• Energy and Material Recovery: Proper waste management includes recycling and resource recovery initiatives. Recycling materials saves energy and priceless resources by lowering the requirement for the extraction and manufacturing of raw materials.
• Circular Economy Promotion: Reusing and recycling materials is encouraged by using a circular economy approach to waste management. This lessens the demand for scarce resources and the environmental damage caused by resource exploitation.

4. Mitigation of Environmental Impacts

• Greenhouse Gas Reduction: Effective waste management practices, including waste-to-energy technologies, can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Using waste energy can reduce the environmental damage caused by conventional energy production.
• Landfill Space Preservation: The goal of effective waste management techniques is to reduce the amount of garbage that is dumped in landfills. This preservation of landfill space is essential for preventing soil and groundwater contamination and promoting sustainable land use.

Impact of Inefficient Waste Disposal on the Environment

1. pollution of air, water, and soil.

• Air Pollution: Incomplete waste burning releases harmful gases, contributing to air pollution and respiratory issues.
• Water Pollution: Improper disposal contaminates water sources with hazardous substances, endangering aquatic ecosystems and compromising the availability of safe drinking water.
• Soil Contamination: Inadequate waste management leads to soil toxins deposition, affecting plant growth and soil fertility and potentially entering the food chain.

2. Harmful Effects on Wildlife

• Ingestion and Entanglement: Improperly disposed plastics and other waste materials threaten wildlife through ingestion and entanglement, leading to injuries or fatalities.
• Disruption of Ecosystems: Pollution from inefficient waste disposal disrupts natural ecosystems, affecting biodiversity and the delicate balance within ecosystems.

3. Health Risks to Humans

• Waterborne Diseases: Contaminated water sources can spread waterborne diseases, affecting human health and causing widespread illness.
• Respiratory Issues: Air pollution from the open burning of waste contributes to respiratory problems, impacting the health of individuals near disposal sites.

Challenges of Improper Waste Management

Improper waste management poses significant challenges with far-reaching consequences:

• Environmental Degradation: The release of hazardous substances from improperly disposed waste leads to pollution of air, water, and soil, resulting in long-term environmental degradation.
• Health Hazards: Inadequate waste disposal creates breeding grounds for disease vectors and contaminates water sources, contributing to the spread of waterborne diseases and posing serious health risks to communities.
• Wildlife Impact: Improperly discarded waste, particularly plastics, harms wildlife through ingestion and entanglement, disrupting ecosystems and endangering various species.
• Resource Depletion: Failure to implement recycling and recovery programs results in the wasteful depletion of valuable resources, contributing to environmental stress and threatening sustainability.
• Landfill Overload: Improper waste disposal leads to the overuse of landfills, causing soil and groundwater contamination. This overload exacerbates the challenge of finding suitable spaces for waste disposal.
• Air Pollution: Open garbage burning emits airborne contaminants that worsen respiratory conditions and air pollution in the surrounding areas.
• Social Inequities: Vulnerable populations are disproportionately impacted by improper waste management, which exacerbates social injustices because these groups frequently experience the worst effects on the environment and health.

Benefits of Efficient Waste Management

Efficient waste management offers a multitude of advantages, contributing to environmental sustainability, public health, and resource conservation:

• Environmental Conservation: Proper waste management minimizes pollution and preserves air, water, and soil quality. This, in turn, protects ecosystems, biodiversity, and the planet’s overall health.
• Resource Recovery: Recycling and waste-to-energy technologies reduce the need to extract raw materials and advance the circular economy by recovering valuable resources from garbage.
• Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions: By lowering the discharge of greenhouse gases, efficient waste management, such as methane collection from landfills and waste-to-energy operations, helps mitigate climate change.
• Public Health Improvement: Well-managed waste systems prevent the spread of diseases by minimizing water contamination and controlling disease vectors, contributing to improved public health outcomes.
• Cleaner Living Spaces: Efficient waste disposal enhances the aesthetics of communities by reducing litter and unsightly waste, creating cleaner and more pleasant living environments.
• Sustainable Land Use: By minimizing the volume of waste sent to landfills, efficient waste management preserves valuable land resources, prevents soil and groundwater contamination, and supports sustainable land use practices.
• Economic Opportunities: Recycling and waste management initiatives create job opportunities in waste collection, recycling facilities, and related industries, contributing to economic growth and community development.
• Community Engagement: Effective waste management creates a sense of responsibility and environmental awareness by promoting recycling programs, clean-up activities, and educational projects.
• Energy Generation: Waste-to-energy technologies generate electricity from waste, providing an alternative and sustainable energy source while reducing dependence on non-renewable resources.
• Long-Term Cost Savings: Proactive waste management strategies reduce the long-term costs associated with environmental remediation, healthcare expenses, and the depletion of natural resources.

Components of an Effective Waste Management System

An effective waste management system comprises several key components working cohesively to address the challenges of waste generation and disposal:

• Waste Reduction and Recycling: Implementing programs to reduce waste and promote recycling, encouraging individuals and businesses to minimize their environmental footprint.
• Collection and Transportation: Establishing organized collection systems with efficient transportation networks to ensure the timely and proper removal of waste from communities to processing facilities.
• Treatment and Disposal Facilities: Developing advanced treatment facilities for various types of waste, including biological, chemical, and electronic waste, ensuring responsible and environmentally friendly disposal methods.
• Public Awareness and Education: Implementing educational initiatives to increase public understanding of the value of waste management, appropriate garbage disposal, and the advantages of recycling in local communities.
• Regulatory Frameworks: Implementing and enforcing regulations that govern waste management practices, ensuring compliance with environmental standards and encouraging responsible waste handling.
• Technological Integration: Incorporating advanced technologies such as smart waste bins, data analytics, and waste-to-energy solutions to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of waste management processes.
• Community Engagement Programs: Involving local communities in waste management initiatives through participation in clean-up drives, recycling programs, and sustainable waste practices.
• Monitoring and Evaluation Systems: Establishing monitoring mechanisms to track waste generation trends, assess the performance of waste management initiatives, and adjust strategies for continuous improvement.
• Collaboration with Stakeholders: Encouraging cooperation across non-governmental organizations, businesses, and government agencies to combine resources and knowledge for efficient garbage disposal.
• Incentive Programs: Introducing incentives for businesses and individuals to adopt environmentally friendly practices, such as tax benefits for recycling efforts or penalties for improper waste disposal.

Global Initiatives and Best Practices

• United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The United Nations has outlined goals, including Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, emphasizing sustainable waste management practices worldwide.
• The Basel Convention: The Basel Convention is an international convention that controls the transboundary movements of hazardous waste to reduce hazardous waste creation.
• Circular Economy Strategies: Reuse, recycling, and repurposing resources are key components of the circular economy, which is being adopted by more and more nations and organizations to reduce waste and encourage sustainable resource usage.
• European Union Waste Framework Directive: The EU has implemented a comprehensive framework directing member states to adopt waste management practices focused on waste prevention, recycling, and the proper disposal of waste.
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): EPR programs, implemented in various countries, hold producers accountable for the entire life cycle of their products, encouraging sustainable design, recycling, and proper disposal.
• Zero Waste Cities: Cities like San Francisco and Ljubljana have set ambitious targets to achieve zero waste by implementing comprehensive waste reduction, recycling, and composting programs.
• Plastic Bans and Alternatives: Many nations are implementing bans on single-use plastics, encouraging biodegradable alternatives, and promoting initiatives to clean up plastic waste from oceans and water bodies.
• Waste-to-Energy Technologies: Countries like Sweden and Denmark have successfully implemented waste-to-energy facilities, converting waste into energy to reduce landfill use and contribute to renewable energy production.
• Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA): GAIA works internationally to promote zero waste principles and advocate for alternatives to incineration, emphasizing waste reduction and sustainable waste management.
• The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy: This initiative focuses on rethinking and redesigning the global plastics system, promoting the circular economy for plastics to reduce pollution and environmental impact.

Community Involvement and Education

• Promoting Responsibility: Engaging communities in waste management fosters a sense of responsibility, encouraging individuals to reduce, reuse, and recycle daily.
• Educational Programs: Implementing educational initiatives in schools and communities raises awareness about the environmental impact of improper waste disposal and the importance of sustainable practices.
• Participation in Clean-up Drives: Involving residents in clean-up campaigns enhances community pride, beautifies public spaces, and reduces the amount of litter that may end up in the environment.
• Encouraging Recycling Programs: Establishing community-based recycling programs fosters the separation of recyclables, promoting a circular economy and reducing waste sent to landfills.
• Local Composting Initiatives: Educating communities on the benefits of composting organic waste at the local level contributes to soil health, reduces landfill waste, and promotes sustainable gardening practices.
• Public Awareness Campaigns: Conducting campaigns through various media channels informs the public about the consequences of improper waste management and encourages responsible waste disposal habits.
• Collaboration with Local Organizations: Partnering with local NGOs and community groups strengthens waste management efforts, leveraging local knowledge and resources for effective implementation.
• School-Based Environmental Clubs: Establishing eco-clubs in schools encourages environmental consciousness among students, fostering a generation that values sustainability and responsible waste practices.
• Incentivizing Participation: Introducing incentives, such as rewards or recognition, motivates individuals and communities to engage actively in waste reduction and environmental conservation efforts.
• Interactive Workshops and Seminars: By planning waste management workshops and seminars, communities are given a forum for discussion and the information and abilities necessary for sustainable living.

Technology and Innovation in Waste Management

• Smart Waste Bins: Incorporating sensor-equipped waste bins allows for real-time monitoring of waste levels, optimizing collection routes, and reducing unnecessary pickups, leading to more efficient resource utilization.
• Data Analytics: Utilizing data analytics tools enables the analysis of waste generation patterns, helping authorities make informed decisions for waste management strategies, resource allocation, and policy development.
• Internet of Things (IoT) Applications: Connecting waste management devices through IoT facilitates communication and data exchange, improving waste collection and processing efficiency.
• Blockchain for Waste Tracking: Implementing blockchain technology enhances transparency in waste management by creating a secure and unalterable record of waste movement, ensuring accountability and traceability.
• Waste-to-Energy Technologies: By converting garbage into energy, innovative technologies reduce the amount of waste in landfills and provide a sustainable alternative to conventional energy sources.
• Advanced Recycling Technologies: Innovations in recycling technologies, such as robotic sorting systems and chemical recycling, enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of recycling processes, increasing the recovery of valuable materials.
• Mobile Apps for Waste Sorting: Developing mobile applications that provide information on proper waste sorting and disposal practices empowers individuals to make environmentally conscious decisions.
• Drones for Monitoring Landfills: Using drones to monitor landfill sites offers a cost-effective and efficient way to assess waste volume, detect potential issues, and plan for optimized waste disposal.
• Bioremediation: Applying biological processes to treat and remediate contaminated waste materials, bioremediation technologies offer environmentally friendly solutions for waste treatment.
• Augmented Reality (AR) for Education: Implementing AR applications for educational purposes helps raise awareness about waste management, allowing users to visualize the impact of waste and understand proper disposal methods.

Waste management is imperative for environmental sustainability, public health, and resource conservation. Global initiatives, best practices, and technological innovations underscore the commitment to addressing waste challenges collectively. Community involvement and education are pivotal in empowering individuals to adopt responsible waste practices. Embracing a circular economy, promoting recycling, and harnessing cutting-edge technologies offer a path toward a more sustainable future. As stewards of the planet, we are responsible for prioritizing and implementing effective waste management strategies and fostering a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient world for future generations.

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What a Waste: An Updated Look into the Future of Solid Waste Management

The Kiteezi landfill near Kampala was expanded as part of the Kampala Institutional Infrastructure Development Project, allowing for the storage and treatment of waste collected in the city. © Sarah Farhat/World Bank

“Waste not, want not.” This old saying rings so true today, as global leaders and local communities alike increasingly call for a fix for the so-called “throwaway culture.” But beyond individuals and households, waste also represents a broader challenge that affects human health and livelihoods, the environment, and prosperity.

And with over 90% of waste openly dumped or burned in low-income countries, it is the poor and most vulnerable who are disproportionately affected.

In recent years, landslides of waste dumps have buried homes and people under piles of waste. And it is the poorest who often live near waste dumps and power their city’s recycling system through waste picking, leaving them susceptible to serious health repercussions.

“Poorly managed waste is contaminating the world’s oceans, clogging drains and causing flooding, transmitting diseases, increasing respiratory problems from burning, harming animals that consume waste unknowingly, and affecting economic development, such as through tourism,” said Sameh Wahba, World Bank Director for Urban and Territorial Development, Disaster Risk Management and Resilience.

Greenhouse gasses from waste are also a key contributor to climate change.

“Solid waste management is everyone’s business. Ensuring effective and proper solid waste management is critical to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Ede Ijjasz-Vasquez, Senior Director of the World Bank’s Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience Global Practice.

What a Waste 2.0

While this is a topic that people are aware of, waste generation is increasing at an alarming rate. Countries are rapidly developing without adequate systems in place to manage the changing waste composition of citizens.

According to the World Bank’s What a Waste 2.0 report,

An update to a previous edition, the 2018 report projects that

How much trash is that?

Take plastic waste, which is choking our oceans and making up 90% of marine debris. The water volume of these bottles could fill up 2,400 Olympic stadiums, 4.8 million Olympic-size swimming pools, or 40 billion bathtubs. This is also the weight of 3.4 million adult blue whales or 1,376 Empire State Buildings combined.

And that’s just 12% of the total waste generated each year.

In addition to global trends, What a Waste 2.0 maps out the state of solid waste management in each region. For example, the  And although they only account for 16% of the world’s population,

Because waste generation is expected to rise with economic development and population growth, lower middle-income countries are likely to experience the greatest growth in waste production. The fastest growing regions are Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where total waste generation is expected to triple than double by 2050, respectively, making up 35% of the world’s waste. The Middle East and North Africa region is also expected to double waste generation by 2050.

Upper-middle and high-income countries provide nearly universal waste collection, and more than one-third of waste in high-income countries is recovered through recycling and composting. Low-income countries collect about 48% of waste in cities, but only 26% in rural areas, and only 4% is recycled. Overall, 13.5% of global waste is recycled and 5.5% is composted.

To view the full infographic, click  here . 

Toward sustainable solid waste management

“Environmentally sound waste management touches so many critical aspects of development,” said Silpa Kaza, World Bank Urban Development Specialist and lead author of the What a Waste 2.0 report. “Yet, solid waste management is often an overlooked issue when it comes to planning sustainable, healthy, and inclusive cities and communities. Governments must take urgent action to address waste management for their people and the planet.”

Moving toward sustainable waste management requires lasting efforts and a significant cost.

Is it worth the cost?

Yes. Research suggests that it does make economic sense to invest in sustainable waste management. Uncollected waste and poorly disposed waste have significant health and environmental impacts. The cost of addressing these impacts is many times higher than the cost of developing and operating simple, adequate waste management systems.

To help meet the demand for financing, the World Bank is working with countries, cities, and partners worldwide to create and finance effective solutions that can lead to gains in environmental, social, and human capital.

, such as the following initiatives and areas of engagement.

Scavengers burning trash at the Tondo Garbage Dump in Manila, Philippines. © Adam Cohn/Flickr Creative Commons

In   Pakistan , a $5.5 million dollar project supported a composting facility in Lahore in market development and the sale of emission reduction credits under the Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Activities resulted in reductions of 150,000 tonnes of CO 2 -equivalent and expansion of daily compost production volume from 300 to 1,000 tonnes per day.

In Vietnam , investments in solid waste management are helping the city of Can Tho prevent clogging of drains, which could result in flooding. Similarly, in the Philippines , investments are helping Metro Manila reduce flood risk by minimizing solid waste ending up in waterways. By focusing on improved collection systems, community-based approaches, and providing incentives, the waste management investments are contributing to reducing marine litter, particularly in Manila Bay.

Leaving no one behind

But the reality for more than 15 million informal waste pickers in the world – typically women, children, the elderly, the unemployed, or migrants – remains one with unhealthy conditions, a lack of social security or health insurance, and persisting social stigma.

In the  West Bank , for example, World Bank loans have supported the construction of three landfill sites that serve over two million residents, enabled dump closure, developed sustainable livelihood programs for waste pickers, and linked payments to better service delivery through results-based financing.

A focus on data, planning, and integrated waste management

Understanding how much and where waste is generated – as well as the types of waste being generated – allows local governments to realistically allocate budget and land, assess relevant technologies, and consider strategic partners for service provision, such as the private sector or non-governmental organizations.

Solutions include:

• Providing financing to countries most in need, especially the fastest growing countries, to develop state-of-the-art waste management systems. 
• Supporting major waste producing countries to reduce consumption of plastics and marine litter through comprehensive waste reduction and recycling programs. 
• Reducing food waste through consumer education, organics management, and coordinated food waste management programs.

No time to waste

If no action is taken, the world will be on a dangerous path to more waste and overwhelming pollution. Lives, livelihoods, and the environment would pay an even higher price than they are today.

Many solutions already exist to reverse that trend. What is needed is urgent action at all levels of society.

The time for action is now.

Click here to access the full dataset and download the report What a Waste 2.0: A Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management to 2050 .

What a Waste 2.0 was funded by the government of Japan through the World Bank’s Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC).

• The Bigger Picture: In-depth stories on ending poverty
• Press release: Global Waste to Grow by 70 Percent by 2050 Unless Urgent Action is Taken: World Bank Report
• Infographic: What a Waste 2.0
• Video blog: Here’s what everyone should know about waste
• Brief: Solid Waste Management
• Slideshow: Five ways cities can curb plastic waste

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• Waste Management

An Introduction

Waste Management or disposal includes processing and disposing of Waste starting right from its point of inception to complete disposal. Waste can be solid or liquid and sometimes even gas. It can be domestic, industrial, biomedical, municipal or radioactive Waste. Each different type of Waste has a specific disposal method and they can be classified as:

Landfill: A huge dumping ground for garbage usually located away from a city. Every kind of solid waste is disposed of in a landfill.

Incineration: Waste from municipalities and solid residue from Wastewater treatment are disposed of by resorting to combustion which converts them to residue and gaseous products. It is not an eco-friendly method as combustion leads to the release of greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide.

Recycle, Reduce, Re-use

The three R’s of Waste Management, i.e., Reduce reuse and Recycle should be followed at every place possible. These methods of Waste Management are mostly environment friendly and help avoid resorting to Waste Management measures like landfill and incineration that are harmful to humans as well as the environment.

There are numerous benefits of recycling. Recycling helps recover resources that can be used to make use of them in a different way. New products can be made by recycling general Waste. Solid Wastes like wood, glass, plastic, electronic devices, clothing and leather items can be Recycled. 

Wastes that are organic in nature can be Recycled and reused, often as manure or fertilizer for agriculture by the method of decomposition. Food scraps, plant products (such as cow dung) and carcasses, paper products are the most reusable for making manure.

Some Waste items that contain plastic such as polythene bags, bottles, pipes, etc. don't decompose easily and can pile up as a landfill for many years, sometimes ending up in the ocean and killing animals who choke on them accidentally. The use of such products that are harmful to everyone should be Reduced. Alternative options have been developed to Reduce the use of plastic such as jute bags instead of polythene bags, paper straws and packaging to be used in place of those made of plastic are a few to name. 

FAQs on Waste Management

1. What are the Challenges Faced in Waste Management? 

One of the major challenges associated with waste management is solid waste management due to an increase in industrialization. The waste disposal is only rising and in cities with high population faces the wrath of this even more as with time there is deterioration in the natural environment and thus the health of the working class.

2. How can One Tackle this Problem of Waste Management?

The most effective way to resolve this problem is by reducing the production of waste itself; one can do that by composting the food and garden waste or by segregating and sending for recycling. The other important way is by addressing the public on the importance of waste management and its benefits to the environment.

3. What are the sources of Waste?

Waste accumulates in our everyday life from different sources. Households, industries and factories produce both solid and liquid Waste, hospitals and laboratories produce biomedical Wastes like syringes, gauge pads, etc., agricultural fields and farms produce agricultural Waste that includes dung, hay, etc., and even educational institutes like schools and colleges generate some amount of Waste which are called commercial Wastes.

4. What are the types of Waste?

There are mainly two types of Wastes:

Biodegradable Waste: These kinds of Waste are usually generated from the kitchen and are mostly organic in nature and can be decomposed to make manure that is generally used for composting in the garden.

Non-Biodegradable Waste: Wastes that do not decompose easily such as plastic and glass, accumulate in the environment and harm animal life.

5. Why is Waste Management important?

Waste created by different sources in the environment has the potential to harm humans and animals alike by spreading diseases when the Waste is not taken care of through disposal. Animals grazing in the field or unsuspecting water animals can get tangled and die of suffocation from non-biodegradable Waste products like plastic bottles and straws or polythene bags. Waste Management is important to Reduce the effect of Waste on the environment as well as for building livable and sustainable cities through recycling, reusing and reducing Waste materials.

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6. How can individuals help in Waste Management?

Individuals can take small steps in everyday life to help Reduce the amount of Waste generated through households by reusing materials wherever possible and buying environment-friendly products as well as those which are recyclable in the future. Waste Management also includes the separation of Wastes according to the type of Waste such as solid Waste or liquid Waste, and segregating and disposing of them safely.

7. What is the role of the government in Waste Management?

Starting from municipalities, the local body has the responsibility to process and dispose of Waste from every source and take sanitary measures for keeping a city clean for healthy living. 

Governments can set standards and regulate industrial Waste by encouraging research on Waste product reduction as well as safe elimination and they can also impose penalties or fines for not being able to meet standards for Waste generation and Management thus keeping the factories in check.

They can promote drives on the usefulness of recycling and reusing in rural areas which are the main sources of agricultural Waste. They should also encourage students to learn Waste Management for more sustainable and holistic growth of the future environment.

Essays on Waste Management

Sustainability and Waste Management Essay

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Introduction

The challenges associated with landfills, the benefits of waste-to-energy technologies.

The rapid economic development of Australia has underlined the necessity to minimize the impact of human activities on the environment. Scientists and public administrators pay close attention to waste management. One can say that the increasing dependence on landfills is one of the problems that should be addressed by policy-makers.

This paper is aimed at showing that people recover energy from waste, rather than deposit it in landfills. This is the main thesis that should be elaborated. Overall, this strategy has several important advantages that can be of great value to Australian community.

In particular, it can reduce water, air and soil pollution caused by disposing of refuse in landfills. Secondly, this approach can decrease the cost of energy, and this opportunity is important for the economic sustainability of the country. Finally, in the future, this approach can improve the use of land in various urban areas. These are the main aspects that can be singled out.

In order to examine this topic, one should first illustrate the problems that are associated with landfills in Australia. It should be mentioned that during the period between 2001 and 2007, the amount of waste, which was deposited in landfills, grew by approximately 12 percent (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2013). In 2001, there were 19 million tons, while in 2007 there were 21.3 million tons (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2013).

Overall, one can speak about commercial, industrial, and municipal waste that is not recycled in any away (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2013). This trend is likely to continue in the future. It should be noted that the dependence on landfills can increase in the future due to the rapid demographic growth of the Australian society.

This argument is particularly relevant, if one speaks about large urban areas such as Sydney or Melbourne that attract people from different parts of the world. There are several challenges that are associated with the growth of landfills, for example, leachates or emissions to water, visual disamenities, or the release of greenhouse gases (BDA Group 2009, p. 4).

Moreover, one should bear in mind that approximately 30 percent of Australian landfills do not have the technologies that can enable them to capture methane and other chemicals that can produce an adverse on the environment (Lancaster 2012, p. 133). Thus, the increasing reliance on landfills can contribute to greenhouse effect (BDA Group 2009).

Furthermore, one should not forget that the decomposition of waste is a very time-consuming process (Lancaster 2012, p. 133). In some cases, the decomposition can take from 50 to 450 years (Lancaster 2012, p. 133).

This is why this trend should not be overlooked by policy-makers who must ensure the environmental sustainability of the country. In particular, they need to find some viable alternatives to landfills that cannot remain the only approach to waste management.

There are several solutions to this problem, and one of them is the recovery of energy from waste. The most widespread method of achieving this goal is the incineration of refuse. In the past, policy-makers did not favor this approach because the incineration of waste could result in the emissions of various toxic materials such as dioxins and fly ash that can pose a threat to the health of a person (Afgan & Carvalho 2002).

However, in the course of the last two decades, waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies have considerably evolved and their negative impacts have been minimized (Worrell & Vesilind 2011). For example, modern incineration facilities emit a smaller amount of CO 2 in comparison with landfills (Letcher 2008, p. 151).

This is one of issues that should be considered by public administrators. Additionally, there are other methods of deriving energy from waste. For example, one can mention pyrolysis, thermal depolymerization, or plasma arc classification (Letcher 2008, p. 151).

These processes can produce fuel-cell hydrogen, biodiesel, bioethanal, or crude oil that are necessary for the generation of energy (Letcher 2008, p. 151). These techniques can be useful for processing different types of waste. Furthermore, such processes can minimize the emission of toxic substances into air.

Thus, one should not suppose that incineration is the only technique that can be used. To a great extent, these examples suggest that technological developments can help people generate from waste. This is one of the points that can be made.

There are several examples that can illustrate the usefulness of WtE technologies. For instance, this approach minimizes the release of various greenhouse gases as carbon dioxide, methane, or nitrogen oxides (Afgan & Carvalho 2002, p. 445). These substances can be used for the generation of energy.

More importantly, this approach can be a valuable tool for decreasing the greenhouse effect which is caused by methane or carbon dioxide (Worrell & Vesilind 2011). This is the main environmental benefits of transforming refuse into a source of energy. Furthermore, these technologies can decrease the overall quantity of waste by more than 80 percent (Worrell & Vesilind 2011).

This benefit should not be overlooked by public administrators because in the future, the increasing amount of refuse can prevent the community from making an effective use of land in various urban areas of Australia which become much more populated (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2013). Furthermore, the growth of landfills can be attributed to intensifying economic activities.

Thus, one should find ways of addressing this problem in the following years. To a great extent, the adoption of WtE technologies can be important for improving the environmental sustainability of the country and overall quality of life. These are some of the main examples that can be distinguished.

Additionally, this strategy can help the national economy overcome its dependence on natural resources such as oil, natural gas, or coal that may eventually become depleted (Afgan & Carvalho 2002, p. 445). It should be kept in mind, waste can be used to generate approximately 20 percent of electric power that urban areas need (Worrell & Vesilind 2011, p. 23).

Overall, the investment in these technologies can enable the country to save the cost of generating energy and use it for other purposes such as healthcare or education. Yet, this opportunity is often lost nowadays. For example, a signification fraction of municipal waste combustible; furthermore, it can be used for the generation of energy (Worrell & Vesilind 2011, p. 23).

However, in many cases, it is not processed at all because there are not many facilities that can recover energy from this type of waste. The need to find alternative sources of energy can become even more urgent at the time when the price of fossil fuels increases.

This is why the community should consider the benefits of WtE technologies because they can make Australia more self-sufficient. This is one of the issues that should be singled out because it is important for understanding the economic aspects of waste management.

Admittedly, the recovery of energy from waste is not the only approach that policy-makers can consider. In particular, one should not forget about such a strategy as recycling which can also be viewed as a good alternative to landfills. In many cases, it can be a valid solution to environmental and economic problems.

Nevertheless, this method is not always sufficient for reducing the volume of refuse. The problem is that some materials such as polymers cannot be effectively recycled. However, they can be used for the generation of energy. Therefore, one should not disregard the use of WtE technologies since these tools can decrease the amount of waste produced by various human activities.

Overall, this discussion shows that by recovering energy from waste, one can derive considerable environmental and economic benefits. At present, the Australian community should find some alternative to landfills because the volume of refuse increases significantly due to demographic growth and intensifying economic activities.

The use of various WtE technologies is helpful for reducing the volume of waste that can originate from households or commercial enterprises. Secondly, this type of processing minimizes the emissions of substances that contribute to greenhouse effects. Apart from that, this approach is critical for reducing the dependence on fossil fuels that can eventually become depleted. These are the main issues that can be identified.

Afgan, N & Carvalho, M 2002, New and Renewable Technologies for Sustainable Development , Springer, New York.

Australian Bureau of Statistics 2013, Waste Disposed to Landfills . Web.

BDA Group 2009, The full cost of landfill disposal in Australia . Web.

Lancaster, S 2012, Green Australia , Wakefield Press, Melbourne.

Letcher, T 2008, Future Energy: Improved, Sustainable and Clean Options for our Planet , Elsevier, Boston.

Worrell, W, & Vesilind, P 2011, Solid Waste Engineering, SI Edition, Cengage Learning, New York.

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Essay on Waste Management 1000+ Words

Waste management is a crucial aspect of our daily lives that often goes unnoticed but plays a vital role in keeping our communities clean and protecting the environment. In this essay, we will explore the significance of waste management, focusing on its role in reducing pollution, conserving resources, and promoting a healthier planet.

Defining Waste Management

Waste management refers to the collection, disposal, and recycling of waste materials. It includes everything from household trash to industrial waste. Proper waste management ensures that waste is handled in a way that minimizes its impact on the environment and human health. It’s like a puzzle where we need to find the right pieces for a cleaner world.

Reducing Pollution

One of the most significant benefits of waste management is the reduction of pollution. When waste is not managed properly, it can end up in landfills or even littering public spaces. This leads to pollution of our air, soil, and water. For example, plastic waste can take hundreds of years to decompose, releasing harmful chemicals into the environment. Waste management prevents such pollution by safely disposing of or recycling materials.

Conserving Resources

Waste management is also about conserving valuable resources. Many of the items we throw away, such as paper, glass, and metal, can be recycled and turned into new products. Recycling helps reduce the need for raw materials, which in turn conserves natural resources like trees and minerals. It’s like giving a second life to things we no longer need.

Protecting Wildlife

Improper waste disposal can harm wildlife. Animals can ingest or get entangled in waste materials, leading to injuries or even death. Plastic bags and bottles, for instance, pose a significant threat to marine life when they end up in oceans. By managing waste responsibly, we create a safer environment for animals, preserving the natural beauty of our world.

Public Health and Safety

Waste management is essential for public health and safety. When waste piles up in our neighborhoods, it can attract pests like rats and insects, spreading diseases. Furthermore, hazardous waste materials, like chemicals and electronics, can be harmful if not handled correctly. Proper waste management protects our communities from these health hazards.

Economic Benefits

There are economic advantages to effective waste management too. Recycling creates jobs and industries dedicated to collecting, processing, and selling recycled materials. It also reduces the costs associated with waste disposal in landfills. A well-managed waste system can contribute to a healthier economy.

The Three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

A key principle of waste management is the three R’s: reduce, reuse, and recycle. “Reduce” means using fewer resources and generating less waste in the first place. “Reuse” encourages finding new uses for items instead of throwing them away. “Recycle” involves turning waste into new products. These principles guide us in making responsible choices in our daily lives.

Community Involvement

Waste management is not just the responsibility of governments and businesses. Individuals can make a significant difference by practicing responsible waste disposal. Participating in community clean-up events, recycling, and educating others about waste management are ways in which we can all contribute to a cleaner environment.

Conclusion of Essay on Waste Management

In conclusion, waste management is more than just taking out the trash; it’s about taking care of our planet and ensuring a better future for generations to come. By reducing pollution, conserving resources, protecting wildlife, promoting public health, and even boosting our economy, waste management touches every aspect of our lives. It’s a responsibility we all share, and by following the three R’s and practicing responsible waste management, we can make a positive impact on our world. Together, we can create a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable tomorrow through proper waste management.

Also Check: Simple Guide on How To Write An Essay

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Environmental Sustainability Impacts of Solid Waste Management Practices in the Global South

Ismaila rimi abubakar.

1 College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia

Khandoker M. Maniruzzaman

2 Department of Urban and Regional Planning, College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia

Umar Lawal Dano

Faez s. alshihri, maher s. alshammari, sayed mohammed s. ahmed, wadee ahmed ghanem al-gehlani.

3 Department of Architecture, College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 32141, Saudi Arabia

Tareq I. Alrawaf

4 Department of Landscape Architecture, College of Architecture and Planning, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia

Associated Data

No data were reported in this review article.

Solid waste management (SWM) is one of the key responsibilities of city administrators and one of the effective proxies for good governance. Effective SWM mitigates adverse health and environmental impacts, conserves resources, and improves the livability of cities. However, unsustainable SWM practices, exacerbated by rapid urbanization and financial and institutional limitations, negatively impact public health and environmental sustainability. This review article assesses the human and environmental health impacts of SWM practices in the Global South cities that are the future of global urbanization. The study employs desktop research methodology based on in-depth analysis of secondary data and literature, including official documents and published articles. It finds that the commonplace SWM practices include mixing household and commercial garbage with hazardous waste during storage and handling. While waste storage is largely in old or poorly managed facilities such as storage containers, the transportation system is often deficient and informal. The disposal methods are predominantly via uncontrolled dumping, open-air incinerators, and landfills. The negative impacts of such practices include air and water pollution, land degradation, emissions of methane and hazardous leachate, and climate change. These impacts impose significant environmental and public health costs on residents with marginalized social groups mostly affected. The paper concludes with recommendations for mitigating the public and environmental health risks associated with the existing SWM practices in the Global South.

1. Introduction

Solid waste management (SWM) continues to dominate as a major societal and governance challenge, especially in urban areas overwhelmed by the high rate of population growth and garbage generation. The role of SWM in achieving sustainable development is emphasized in several international development agendas, charters, and visions. For example, sustainable SWM can help meet several United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), such as ensuring clean water and sanitation (SDG6), creating sustainable cities and inclusive communities (SDG11), mitigating climate change (SDG13), protecting life on land (SDG15), and demonstrating sustainable consumption and production patterns (SDG12) ( https://sdgs.un.org/goals , accessed on 26 September 2022). It also fosters a circular urban economy that promotes reductions in the consumption of finite resources, materials reuse and recycling for waste elimination, pollution reduction, cost saving, and green growth

However, coupled with economic growth, improved lifestyle, and consumerism, cities across the globe will continue to face an overwhelming challenge of SWM as the world population is expected to rise to 8 billion by 2025 and to 9.3 billion by 2050, out of which around 70% will be living in urban areas [ 1 , 2 ]. In developing countries, most cities collect only 50–80% of generated waste after spending 20–50% of their budgets, of which 80–95% are spent on collecting and transporting waste [ 3 , 4 ]. Moreover, many low-income countries collect as low as 10% of the garbage generated in suburban areas, which contributes to public health and environmental risks, including higher incidents of diarrhea and acute respiratory infections among people, particularly children, living near garbage dumps [ 5 ]. Obstacles to effective municipal SWM include lack of awareness, technologies, finances, and good governance [ 6 , 7 , 8 ].

Removing garbage from homes and businesses without greater attention to what was then carried out with it has also been the priority of municipal SWM in several cities of developing countries [ 9 ]. In most developing countries, garbage collected from households is disposed of in landfills or dumpsites, the majority of which are projected to reach their capacities within a decade. The unsustainable approach of dumping or burning waste in an open space, usually near poor communities on the city edge, or throwing garbage into water bodies was an acceptable garbage disposal strategy. Similarly, several cities still use old-generation or poorly managed facilities and informal uncontrolled dumping or open-air waste burning. Often, these practices affect marginalized social groups near the disposal sites [ 10 ]. Moreover, this approach poses several sustainability problems, including resource depletion, environmental pollution, and public health problems, such as the spread of communicable diseases.

However, ever since the advent of the environmental movement in the 1960s, there has been a far-reaching appreciation of environmental and public health risks of unsustainable SWM practices. In the 1970s and onward, SWM was a technical issue to be resolved using technology; hence, the emphasis and investments were placed on garbage collection equipment [ 5 ]. Although modern technology can significantly reduce emissions of hazardous substances, by the 1990s, that viewpoint changed when municipalities become unable to evacuate and dispose of garbage effectively without the active involvement of service users and other stakeholders [ 5 ]. The inability of the public sector in the global South to deliver sufficient improvement of SWM, coupled with the pressure from the financial institutions and other donor agencies, led to privatization policies at the end of the decade. However, as privatization failed to provide municipal SWM services to the poor and marginalized communities, the current global thinking on addressing municipal SWM problems is changing.

A more sustainable waste management approach prioritizes practices such as reduced production, waste classifications, reuse, recycling, and energy recovery over the common practices of landfilling, open dumps, and open incineration [ 11 , 12 , 13 ]. This approach, which is still at an early stage but getting increased attention in the Global South, is more inclusive and environment-friendly and has less negative impact on human health and the environment than the common practices [ 14 , 15 , 16 ]. As such, there is a need to assess SWM practices in the Global South and their impacts on environmental and human health because 90% of the expected growth in the urban population by 2050 is expected to happen here. So far, there are a few studies on the impacts of SWM practices on human health and the environment in the global regions.

Therefore, this review article addresses this knowledge gap by assessing the negative impacts of the dominant SWM practices on human and environmental health. Section 2 presents the research methodology. Section 3 reviews the major SWM practices in the Global South and assesses the environmental and public health implications of SWM practices in the Global South cities. While Section 4 discusses the implications of the findings and proffers recommendations that could help authorities to deal with SWM challenges and mitigate public and environmental health risks associated with unsustainable SWM practices, Section 5 concludes the paper.

2. Materials and Methods

The present paper utilizes a desktop research method of collecting and analyzing relevant data from the existing literature, as utilized in some previous studies [ 17 , 18 ]. The method consists of three iterative stages shown in Figure 1 : (a) scoping, (b) collecting relevant literature, and (c) data analysis. Firstly, the scoping stage involves defining and understanding the research problem under investigation and setting the study scope and boundary. The scope of the paper is to explore human and environmental impacts of SWM practices toward policy and practical recommendations for a more sustainable SWM system, with the Global South as the study boundary. This stage also helped identify relevant keywords to search for during the literature review in the second stage.

The flow chart of the research method (Source: [ 18 ] (p. 4)).

The second stage involved identifying and collecting relevant literature from online sources. The researchers utilized Google Scholar and Scopus databases to identify peer-reviewed academic works (peer-reviewed articles, conference proceedings, and books) as well as the gray literature. The literature that satisfied the following three inclusion criteria was identified and downloaded: (1) It is related to the study’s objective; (2) it is in the English language; and (3) it was published within the last twenty years, although some old documents about established concepts and approaches were also accessed. The downloaded gray literature includes newspaper articles, statistics, technical reports, and website contents from international development organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations, and the World Bank.

In the last stage, the authors organized, analyzed, and synthesized the data collected from the literature. The downloaded works were organized according to the similarity of topics, even though some fit in more than one category. Then, each document was thoroughly examined, and themes concerned with SWM practices and their human and environmental impacts were collated, synthesized, and harmonized. Finally, the themes were summarized in Table A1 , Table A2 and Table A3 (see Appendix A ) and discussed. Implications and recommendations of the findings are then highlighted.

3. Results and Discussion

3.1. solid waste management practices in the global south.

Global municipal solid waste (MSW) generation rose from 1.3 billion tons in 2012 to 2.1 billion tons (0.74 kg/capita/day) as of 2016, which by 2050 is expected to increase by 70% to reach a total of 3.40 billion tons or 1.42 kg/capita/day [ 19 ]. The per capita MSW generation varies among regions and countries. In the EU (European Union), it ranges from 0.3–1.4 kg/capita/day [ 20 ], and in some African cities, the average is 0.78 kg/capita/day [ 21 ]. In Asia, urban areas generate about 760,000 tons of MSW per day, which is expected to increase to 1.8 million tons per day or 26% of the world’s total by 2025, despite the continent housing 53% of the world’s population [ 22 , 23 ]. In China, the total MSW generation was around 212 million tons (0.98 kg/capita/day) in 2006, out of which 91.4%, 6.4%, and 2.2% were disposed of via landfilling, incineration, and composting [ 24 ]. In 2010, only 660 Chinese cities produced about 190 million tons of MSW, accounting for 29% of the world’s total, while the total amount of solid waste in China could reach at least 480 million tons in 2030 [ 25 ]. In China, industrial waste (more than one billion tons) was five times the amount of MSW generated in 2002, which is expected to generate approximately twice as much MSW as the USA, while India will overtake the USA in MSW generation by 2030 [ 26 ].

In Malaysia, while the average rate of MSW generation was about 0.5–0.8 kg/person/day, Kuala Lumpur’s daily per capita generation rate was 1.62 kg in 2008 [ 27 ], which is expected to reach 2.23 kg in 2024 [ 28 ]. About 64% of Malaysia’s waste consists of household and office waste, 25% industrial waste, 8% commercial waste, and 3% construction waste [ 29 ]. In Sri Lanka, the assessed mean waste generation in 1999 was 6500 tons/day or 0.89 kg/cap/day, which is estimated to reach 1.0 kg/cap/day by 2025 [ 30 ]. With a 1.2% population growth rate, the total MSW generation in 2009 was approximately 7250 tons/day [ 31 ]. In Ghana, the solid waste generation rate was 0.47 kg/person/day, or about 12,710 tons per annum, consisting of biodegradable waste (0.318), non-biodegradable (0.096), and inert and miscellaneous waste (0.055) kg/person/day, respectively [ 32 ].

Moreover, global SWM costs are anticipated to increase to about $375.5 billion in 2025, with more than four-fold increases in lower- to middle-income countries and five-fold increases in low-income countries [ 33 ]. Globally, garbage collection, transportation, and disposal pose a major cost component in SWM systems [ 19 ]. Inadequate funding militates against the optimization of MSW disposal services. Table 1 compares the everyday SWM practices in low-, middle- and high-income countries according to major waste management steps. The literature indicates that waste generation rates and practices depend on the culture, socioeconomic status, population density, and level of commercial and industrial activities of a city or region.

Common MSW management practices by country’s level of economic development (adapted from [ 34 ]).

3.2. Environmental and Public Health Impacts of SWM Practices in the Global South

• (a)  Weak and Inadequate SWM System

Many problems in the cities of the global South are often associated with a weak or inadequate SWM system, which leads to severe direct and indirect environmental and public health issues at every stage of waste collection, handling, treatment, and disposal [ 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ]. Inadequate and weak SWM results in indiscriminate dumping of waste on the streets, open spaces, and water bodies. Such practices were observed in, for example, Pakistan [ 35 , 36 ], India [ 37 ], Nepal [ 38 ], Peru [ 39 ], Guatemala [ 40 ], Brazil [ 41 ], Kenya [ 42 ], Rwanda [ 43 ], South Africa [ 44 , 45 ], Nigeria [ 46 ], Zimbabwe [ 47 ], etc.

The problems associated with such practices are GHG emissions [ 37 , 48 ], leachates [ 40 , 44 , 49 ], the spread of diseases such as malaria and dengue [ 36 ], odor [ 35 , 38 , 50 , 51 ], blocking of drains and sewers and subsequent flooding [ 52 ], suffocation of animals in plastic bags [ 52 ], and indiscriminate littering [ 38 , 39 , 53 ].

• (b)  Irregular Waste Collection and Handling

Uncollected and untreated waste has socioeconomic and environmental costs extending beyond city boundaries. Environmental sustainability impacts of this practice include methane (CH 4 ) emissions, foul odor, air pollution, land and water contamination, and the breeding of rodents, insects, and flies that transmit diseases to humans. Decomposition of biodegradable waste under anaerobic conditions contributes to about 18% and 2.9% of global methane and GHG emissions, respectively [ 54 ], with the global warming effect of about 25 times higher than carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions [ 55 ]. Methane also causes fires and explosions [ 56 ]. Emissions from SWM in developing countries are increasing due to rapid economic growth and improved living standards [ 57 ].

Irregular waste collection also contributes to marine pollution. In 2010, 192 coastal countries generated 275 million metric tons of plastic waste out of which up to 12.7 million metric tons (4.4%) entered ocean ecosystems [ 58 ]. Moreover, plastic waste collects and stagnates water, proving a mosquito breeding habitat and raising the risks of dengue, malaria, and West Nile fever [ 56 ]. In addition, uncollected waste creates serious safety, health, and environmental consequences such as promoting urban violence and supporting breeding and feeding grounds for flies, mosquitoes, rodents, dogs, and cats, which carry diseases to nearby homesteads [ 4 , 19 , 59 , 60 ].

In the global South, scavengers often throw the remaining unwanted garbage on the street. Waste collectors are rarely protected from direct contact and injury, thereby facing serious health threats. Because garbage trucks are often derelict and uncovered, exhaust fumes and dust stemming from waste collection and transportation contribute to environmental pollution and widespread health problems [ 61 ]. In India’s megacities, for example, irregular MSW management is one of the major problems affecting air and marine quality [ 62 ]. Thus, irregular waste collection and handling contribute to public health hazards and environmental degradation [ 63 ].

• (c)  Landfilling and Open Dumping

Most municipal solid waste in the Global South goes into unsanitary landfills or open dumps. Even during the economic downturn during the COVID-19 pandemic, the amount of waste heading to landfill sites in Brazil, for example, increased due to lower recycling rates [ 64 ]. In Johor, Malaysia, landfilling destroys natural habitats and depletes the flora and fauna [ 65 ]. Moreover, landfilling with untreated, unsorted waste led to severe public health issues in South America [ 66 ]. Based on a study on 30 Brazilian cities, Urban and Nakada [ 64 ] report that 35% of medical waste was not properly treated before disposal, which poses a threat to public health, including the spread of COVID-19. Landfills and open dumps are also associated with high emissions of methane (CH 4 ), a major GHG [ 67 , 68 ]. Landfills and wastewater release 17% of the global methane emission [ 25 ]. About 29 metric tons of methane are emitted annually from landfills globally, accounting for about 8% of estimated global emissions, with 1.3 metric tons released from landfills in Africa [ 7 ]. The rate of landfill gas production steadily rises while MSW accumulates in the landfill emissions. Released methane and ammonia gases can cause health hazards such as respiratory diseases [ 37 , 69 , 70 , 71 ]. Since methane is highly combustible, it can cause fire and explosion hazards [ 72 ].

Open dumping sites with organic waste create the environment for the breeding of disease-carrying vectors, including rodents, flies, and mosquitoes [ 40 , 45 , 51 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 ]. Associated vector-borne diseases include zika virus, dengue, and malaria fever [ 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 ]. In addition, there are risks of water-borne illnesses such as leptospirosis, intestinal worms, diarrhea, and hepatitis A [ 80 , 81 ].

Odors from landfill sites, and their physical appearance, affect the lives of nearby residents by threatening their health and undermining their livelihoods, lowering their property values [ 37 , 38 , 68 , 82 , 83 , 84 ]. Moreover, the emission of ammonia (NH 3 ) from landfill sites can damage species’ composition and plant leaves [ 85 ]. In addition, the pollutants from landfill sites damage soil quality [ 73 , 84 ]. Landfill sites also generate dust and are sources of noise pollution [ 86 ].

Air and water pollution are intense in the hot and rainy seasons due to the emission of offensive odor, disease-carrying leachates, and runoff. Considerable amounts of methane and CO 2 from landfill sites produce adverse health effects such as skin, eyes, nose, and respiratory diseases [ 69 , 87 , 88 ]. The emission of ammonia can lead to similar problems and even blindness [ 85 , 89 ]. Other toxic gaseous pollutants from landfill sites include Sulphur oxides [ 89 ]. While less than 20% of methane is recovered from landfills in China, Western nations recover up to 60% [ 90 ].

Several studies report leachate from landfill sites contaminating water sources used for drinking and other household applications, which pose significant risks to public health [ 36 , 43 , 53 , 72 , 75 , 83 , 91 , 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 ]. For example, Hong et al. [ 95 ] estimated that, in 2006, the amount of leachates escaping from landfill sites in Pudong (China) was 160–180 m 3 per day. On the other hand, a properly engineered facility for waste disposal can protect public health, preserve important environmental resources, prevent clogging of drainages, and prevent the migration of leachates to contaminate ground and surface water, farmlands, animals, and air from which they enter the human body [ 61 , 96 ]. Moreover, heat in summer can speed up the rate of bacterial action on biodegradable organic material and produce a pungent odor [ 60 , 97 , 98 ]. In China, for example, leachates were not treated in 47% of landfills [ 99 ].

Co-mingled disposal of industrial and medical waste alongside municipal waste endangers people with chemical and radioactive hazards, Hepatitis B and C, tetanus, human immune deficiency, HIV infections, and other related diseases [ 59 , 60 , 100 ]. Moreover, indiscriminate disposal of solid waste can cause infectious diseases such as gastrointestinal, dermatological, respiratory, and genetic diseases, chest pains, diarrhea, cholera, psychological disorders, skin, eyes, and nose irritations, and allergies [ 10 , 36 , 60 , 61 ].

• (d)  Open Burning and Incineration

Open burning of MSW is a main cause of smog and respiratory diseases, including nose, throat, chest infections and inflammation, breathing difficulty, anemia, low immunity, allergies, and asthma. Similar health effects were reported from Nepal [ 101 ], India [ 87 ], Mexico, [ 69 ], Pakistan [ 52 , 73 , 84 ], Indonesia [ 88 ], Liberia [ 50 ], and Chile [ 102 ]. In Mumbai, for example, open incineration emits about 22,000 tons of pollutants annually [ 56 ]. Mongkolchaiarunya [ 103 ] reported air pollution and odors from burning waste in Thailand. In addition, plastic waste incineration produces hydrochloric acid and dioxins in quantities that are detrimental to human health and may cause allergies, hemoglobin deficiency, and cancer [ 95 , 104 ]. In addition, smoke from open incineration and dumpsites is a significant contributor to air pollution even for persons staying far from dumpsites.

• (e)  Composting

Composting is a biological method of waste disposal that entails the decomposing or breaking down of organic wastes into simpler forms by naturally occurring microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi. However, despite its advantage of reducing organic waste by at least half and using compost in agriculture, the composting method has much higher CO 2 emissions than other disposal approaches. In Korea, for example, composting has the highest environmental impact than incineration and anaerobic digestion methods [ 105 ]. The authors found that the environmental impact of composting was found to be 2.4 times higher than that of incineration [ 105 ]. Some reviews linked composting with several health issues, including congested nose, sore throat and dry cough, bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis, and extrinsic allergic alveolitis [ 36 , 106 ].

4. Implications and Recommendations

As discussed in the section above, there are many negative impacts of unsustainable SWM practices on the people and the environment. Although all waste treatment methods have their respective negative impacts, some have fewer debilitating impacts on people and the environment than others. The following is the summary of key implications of such unsustainable SWM practices.

• Uncollected organic waste from bins, containers and open dumps harbors rodents, insects, and reptiles that transmit diseases to humans. It also produces odor due to the decomposition of organic wastes, especially in the summer, and leachates that migrate and contaminate receiving underground and surface waters.
• Open dumps and non-engineered landfills release methane from decomposing biodegradable waste under anaerobiotic conditions. Methane is a key contributor to global warming, and it can cause fires and explosions.
• Non-biodegradable waste, such as discarded tires, plastics, bottles, and tins, pollutes the ground and collects water, thus creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes and increasing the risk of diseases such as malaria, dengue, and West Nile fever.
• Open burning of MSW emits pollutants into the atmosphere thereby increasing the incidences of nose and throat infections and inflammation, inhalation difficulties, bacterial infections, anemia, reduced immunity, allergies, and asthma.
• Uncontrolled incineration causes smog and releases fine particles, which are a major cause of respiratory disease. It also contributes to urban air pollution and GHG emissions significantly.
• Incineration and landfilling are associated with reproductive defects in women, developmental defects in children, cancer, hepatitis C, psychosocial impacts, poisoning, biomarkers, injuries, and mortality.

Therefore, measures toward more sustainable SWM that can mitigate such impacts must be worked out and followed. The growing complexity, costs, and coordination of SWM require multi-stakeholder involvement at each process stage [ 7 ]. Earmarking resources, providing technical assistance, good governance, and collaboration, and protecting environmental and human health are SWM critical success factors [ 47 , 79 ]. As such, local governments, the private sector, donor agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the residents, and informal garbage collectors and scavengers have their respective roles to play collaboratively in effective and sustainable SWM [ 40 , 103 , 107 , 108 ]. The following are key practical recommendations for mitigating the negative impacts of unsustainable SWM practices enumerated above.

First, cities should plan and implement an integrated SWM approach that emphasizes improving the operation of municipalities to manage all stages of SWM sustainably: generation, separation, transportation, transfer/sorting, treatment, and disposal [ 36 , 46 , 71 , 77 , 86 ]. The success of this approach requires the involvement of all stakeholders listed above [ 109 ] while recognizing the environmental, financial, legal, institutional, and technical aspects appropriate to each local setting [ 77 , 86 ]. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) can likewise aid in selecting the method and preparing the waste management plan [ 88 , 110 ]. Thus, the SWM approach should be carefully selected to spare residents from negative health and environmental impacts [ 36 , 39 , 83 , 98 , 111 ].

Second, local governments should strictly enforce environmental regulations and better monitor civic responsibilities for sustainable waste storage, collection, and disposal, as well as health hazards of poor SWM, reflected in garbage littering observable throughout most cities of the Global South [ 64 , 84 ]. In addition, violations of waste regulations should be punished to discourage unsustainable behaviors [ 112 ]. Moreover, local governments must ensure that waste collection services have adequate geographical coverage, including poor and minority communities [ 113 ]. Local governments should also devise better SWM policies focusing on waste reduction, reuse, and recycling to achieve a circular economy and sustainable development [ 114 , 115 ].

Third, effective SWM requires promoting positive public attitudes toward sustainable waste management [ 97 , 116 , 117 , 118 ]. Therefore, public awareness campaigns through print, electronic, and social media are required to encourage people to desist from littering and follow proper waste dropping and sorting practices [ 36 , 64 , 77 , 79 , 80 , 82 , 91 , 92 , 119 ]. There is also the need for a particular focus on providing sorting bins and public awareness about waste sorting at the source, which can streamline and optimize subsequent SWM processes and mitigate their negative impacts [ 35 , 45 , 46 , 64 , 69 , 89 , 93 ]. Similarly, non-governmental and community-based organizations can help promote waste reduction, separation, and sorting at the source, and material reuse/recycling [ 103 , 120 , 121 , 122 ]. In Vietnam, for example, Tsai et al. [ 123 ] found that coordination among stakeholders and appropriate legal and policy frameworks are crucial in achieving sustainable SWM.

Fourth, there is the need to use environmentally friendly technologies or upgrade existing facilities. Some researchers prefer incineration over other methods, particularly for non-recyclable waste [ 44 , 65 ]. For example, Xin et al. [ 124 ] found that incineration, recycling, and composting resulted in a 70.82% reduction in GHG emissions from solid waste in Beijing. In Tehran city, Iran, Maghmoumi et al. [ 125 ] revealed that the best scenario for reducing GHG emissions is incinerating 50% of the waste, landfilling 30%, and recycling 20%. For organic waste, several studies indicate a preference for composting [ 45 , 51 , 75 ] and biogas generation [ 15 , 42 , 68 ]. Although some researchers have advocated a complete ban on landfilling [ 13 , 42 ], it should be controlled with improved techniques for leak detection and leachate and biogas collection [ 126 , 127 ]. Many researchers also suggested an integrated biological and mechanical treatment (BMT) of solid waste [ 66 , 74 , 95 , 119 ]. In Kenya, the waste-to-biogas scheme and ban on landfill and open burning initiatives are estimated to reduce the emissions of over 1.1 million tons of GHG and PM2.5 emissions from the waste by more than 30% by 2035 [ 42 ]. An appropriately designed waste disposal facility helps protect vital environmental resources, including flora, fauna, surface and underground water, air, and soil [ 128 , 129 ].

Fifth, extraction and reuse of materials, energy, and nutrients are essential to effective SWM, which provides livelihoods for many people, improves their health, and protects the environment [ 130 , 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 , 135 , 136 ]. For example, recycling 24% of MSW in Thailand lessened negative health, social, environmental, and economic impacts from landfill sites [ 89 ]. Waste pickers play a key role in waste circularity and should be integrated into the SWM system [ 65 , 89 , 101 , 137 ], even to the extent of taking part in decision-making [ 138 ]. In addition, workers involved in waste collection should be better trained and equipped to handle hazardous waste [ 87 , 128 ]. Moreover, green consumption, using bioplastics, can help reduce the negative impacts of solid waste on the environment [ 139 ].

Lastly, for effective SWM, local authorities should comprehensively address SWM challenges, such as lack of strategic SWM plans, inefficient waste collection/segregation and recycling, insufficient budgets, shortage of qualified waste management professionals, and weak governance, and then form a financial regulatory framework in an integrated manner [ 140 , 141 , 142 ]. Effective SWM system also depends on other factors such as the waste generation rate, population density, economic status, level of commercial activity, culture, and city/region [ 37 , 143 ]. A sustainable SWM strives to protect public health and the environment [ 144 , 145 ].

5. Conclusions

As global solid waste generation rates increase faster than urbanization, coupled with inadequate SWM systems, local governments and urban residents often resort to unsustainable SWM practices. These practices include mixing household and commercial garbage with hazardous waste during storage and handling, storing garbage in old or poorly managed facilities, deficient transportation practices, open-air incinerators, informal/uncontrolled dumping, and non-engineered landfills. The implications of such practices include air and water pollution, land degradation, climate change, and methane and hazardous leachate emissions. In addition, these impacts impose significant environmental and public health costs on residents with marginalized social groups affected mostly.

Inadequate SWM is associated with poor public health, and it is one of the major problems affecting environmental quality and cities’ sustainable development. Effective community involvement in the SWM requires promoting positive public attitudes. Public awareness campaigns through print, electronic, and social media are required to encourage people to desist from littering and follow proper waste-dropping practices. Improper SWM also resulted in water pollution and unhealthy air in cities. Future research is needed to investigate how the peculiarity of each Global South country can influence selecting the SWM approach, elements, aspects, technology, and legal/institutional frameworks appropriate to each locality.

Reviewed literature on the impacts of SWM practices in Asia (compiled by authors).

Reviewed literature on the impacts of SWM practices in South America (compiled by authors).

Reviewed literature on the impacts of SWM practices in Africa (compiled by authors).

Funding Statement

This research received no external funding.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, I.R.A. and K.M.M.; methodology, I.R.A., K.M.M. and U.L.D.; validation, I.R.A., K.M.M. and U.L.D.; formal analysis, I.R.A. and K.M.M.; investigation, I.R.A., K.M.M., U.L.D., F.S.A., M.S.A., S.M.S.A. and W.A.G.A.-G.; resources, I.R.A., K.M.M., U.L.D., F.S.A., M.S.A., S.M.S.A., W.A.G.A.-G. and T.I.A.; data curation, U.L.D., F.S.A., M.S.A., S.M.S.A. and W.A.G.A.-G.; writing—original draft preparation, I.R.A., K.M.M., U.L.D., F.S.A., M.S.A., S.M.S.A. and W.A.G.A.-G.; writing—review and editing, I.R.A., K.M.M. and U.L.D.; supervision, F.S.A. and T.I.A.; project administration, I.R.A.; funding acquisition, I.R.A., K.M.M., U.L.D., F.S.A., M.S.A., S.M.S.A., W.A.G.A.-G. and T.I.A. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

The authors declare no conflict of interest in conducting this study.

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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Waste Management Practices: Literature Review

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Meghna Malhotra , Urban Management Centre -UMC , Manvita Baradi

Urban areas in India generate more than 1,00,000 MT of waste per day (CPHEEO, 2000). A large metropolis such as Mumbai generates about 7000 MT of waste per day (MCGM, 2014), Bangalore generates about 5000 MT (BBMP, 2014) and other large cities such as Pune and Ahmedabad generate waste in the range of 1600-3500 MT per day (PMC, 2014). Collecting, processing, transporting and disposing this municipal solid waste (MSW) is the responsibility of urban local bodies (ULBs) in India. The Municipal Solid Waste (Management & Handling) Rules notified in 2000 by the Ministry of Environment and Forest require ULBs to collect waste in a segregated manner with categories including organic/food waste, domestic hazardous waste, recyclable waste and undertake safe and scientific transportation management, processing and disposal of municipal waste. However, most ULBs in India are finding it difficult to comply with these rules, implement and sustain door-to-door collection, waste segregation, management, processing and safe disposal of MSW. The National and State Governments have provided an impetus to improve the solid waste management in urban areas under various programs and schemes. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) funded 49 SWM projects in various cities between 2006 and 2009 (MoUD, 2014). Several cities in India have taken positive steps towards implementing sustainable waste management practices by involving the community in segregation, by enforcing better PPP contracts and by investing in modern technology for transportation, processing and disposal. The role of waste pickers/ informal sector in SWM is also increasingly being recognized. These interventions have great potential for wider replication in other cities in the country. This compendium documents eleven such leading practices from cities across India and highlights key aspects of the waste management programs including operational models, ULB- NGO partnerships, and innovative outreach and awareness campaigns to engage communities and private sector. The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is the National Coordinator for the PEARL initiative (Peer Experience and Reflective Learning). It is a program that enables effective sharing of knowledge (related to planning; implementation; governance and; sustainability of urban reforms and other infrastructure projects) among the cities that are being supported by JnNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission). A number of tasks have been planned to achieve the objectives of the program. One of the key tasks encompassed by this program is Documentation of Good Practices in various thematic areas related to planning; governance and service delivery.

Urban Management Centre -UMC , Manvita Baradi , Meghna Malhotra

The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is the National Coordinator for the PEARL initiative (‘Peer Experience and Reflective Learning’). It is a program that enables effective sharing of knowledge (related to planning; implementation; governance and; sustainability of urban reforms and other infrastructure projects) among the cities that are being supported by JNNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission). The PEARL initiative provides a platform for deliberation and knowledge exchange to Indian cities and towns as well as professionals working in the urban domain. Sharing of good practices is one of the most important means of Knowledge-Exchange and numerous innovative projects are available for reference on the PEARL portal/website. The ‘Knowledge Support for PEARL’ is a program supported by Cities Alliance that aims to qualitatively further this initiative. One of its components is to carry out a thematic and detailed documentation of good practices in various thematic areas related to planning; governance and service delivery. Urban Management Consulting Pvt. Ltd. in consortium with Centre for Environment Education (CEE) has been selected (through a competitive process) for the said task. The document focuses on the theme of ‘Urban Solid Waste Management’ (SWM), which includes planning; practices; projects and innovations in improving the quality and efficiency of solid waste management in Indian cities. The documentation includes good initiatives adopted and practiced by ULBs in collection and treatment of solid waste as well as the overall management of waste as a resource including aspects of recycling; environmental issues; disposal etc. of municipal waste. It also strives to study examples of people’s participation in these projects for overall enhancement of services and quality of life.

Frank Palkovits

The mining operations conducted in Northern Ontario are generally considered to be among the richest deposits in the world. This extensive area includes multiple active mines, smelters, and refineries. A number of active waste dumps for tailings, slag, and waste rock also exist. It has been recognised that if current market conditions continue, and if the new reserve estimations are accurate, mining in this area could potentially continue for an additional 50 years. Operational difficulties for the organisations operating in this area arise from the fact that the mining operations are situated in some cases within the city limits and, in fact, also dominate a number of small communities around the mine sites. These organisations face a number of increasing regulatory and social demands which are a driving force behind many of the operational changes taking place within the mining community today. Rapidly, an environmentally conscious mining operation is becoming the norm. A solution...

GLORIA T . ANGURUWA

Waste generation is inevitable in every human society, although methods of disposal may differ from region to region especially developing and developed nations, yet waste disposal is generally necessary. This study therefore investigated waste disposal practices amongst residents of Oluyole local government area of Ibadan, Oyo State. It was observed that (44.4%) and (32.4%) of the residents dumped their household refuse with government and private waste collectors respectively, but majority utilized improper waste disposal methods such as dumping in rivers (10.3%), roadsides(14.8%), open dumpsites (20.4%), gutter (9.3%), and open-air burning(33.3%). Larger proportion (97.5%) of the respondents strongly agreed that indiscriminate waste dumping has inimical environmental implications such as flooding, disruption of aesthetic beauty, disease, river pollution amongst others. In order to bring the situation under control, the respondents prefer the full involvement of the government waste collection agency instead of private waste collectors. It is therefore recommended that government waste collector should be empowered to penetrate more traditional core areas for more effective waste collection.

Farhan Fendi

Academia Letters

Amer Hamad Issa Abukhalaf

Citation: Abukhalaf, A. H. I. (2021). Bridging the Gap: U.S Waste Management System. Academia Letters. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL1680

Ruth Jaynann Del Rosario

proposal for waste management

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Environmental sustainability impacts of solid waste management practices in the global south.

1. Introduction

2. materials and methods, 3. results and discussion, 3.1. solid waste management practices in the global south, 3.2. environmental and public health impacts of swm practices in the global south, 4. implications and recommendations.

• Uncollected organic waste from bins, containers and open dumps harbors rodents, insects, and reptiles that transmit diseases to humans. It also produces odor due to the decomposition of organic wastes, especially in the summer, and leachates that migrate and contaminate receiving underground and surface waters.
• Open dumps and non-engineered landfills release methane from decomposing biodegradable waste under anaerobiotic conditions. Methane is a key contributor to global warming, and it can cause fires and explosions.
• Non-biodegradable waste, such as discarded tires, plastics, bottles, and tins, pollutes the ground and collects water, thus creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes and increasing the risk of diseases such as malaria, dengue, and West Nile fever.
• Open burning of MSW emits pollutants into the atmosphere thereby increasing the incidences of nose and throat infections and inflammation, inhalation difficulties, bacterial infections, anemia, reduced immunity, allergies, and asthma.
• Uncontrolled incineration causes smog and releases fine particles, which are a major cause of respiratory disease. It also contributes to urban air pollution and GHG emissions significantly.
• Incineration and landfilling are associated with reproductive defects in women, developmental defects in children, cancer, hepatitis C, psychosocial impacts, poisoning, biomarkers, injuries, and mortality.

5. Conclusions

Author contributions, institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

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Share and Cite

Abubakar, I.R.; Maniruzzaman, K.M.; Dano, U.L.; AlShihri, F.S.; AlShammari, M.S.; Ahmed, S.M.S.; Al-Gehlani, W.A.G.; Alrawaf, T.I. Environmental Sustainability Impacts of Solid Waste Management Practices in the Global South. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022 , 19 , 12717. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912717

Abubakar IR, Maniruzzaman KM, Dano UL, AlShihri FS, AlShammari MS, Ahmed SMS, Al-Gehlani WAG, Alrawaf TI. Environmental Sustainability Impacts of Solid Waste Management Practices in the Global South. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health . 2022; 19(19):12717. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912717

Abubakar, Ismaila Rimi, Khandoker M. Maniruzzaman, Umar Lawal Dano, Faez S. AlShihri, Maher S. AlShammari, Sayed Mohammed S. Ahmed, Wadee Ahmed Ghanem Al-Gehlani, and Tareq I. Alrawaf. 2022. "Environmental Sustainability Impacts of Solid Waste Management Practices in the Global South" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 19: 12717. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912717

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How can you contribute to a sustainable and zero waste future?

How can you contribute to a sustainable and zero waste future? Read the winning pieces of the students from Davao, Cagayan de Oro, and Quezon City who joined PHINLA’s recently concluded essay-writing contest in celebration of Zero Waste Month.

YOUTH: The Hope of Tomorrow

By: Aya Shikinah F. Hibaler

“The goal of life is living in agreement with nature.”

— Zeno (450 BC)

Pollution and environmental degradation are not new phenomena. Pollution, in reality, has been a concern since the time of our forefathers. God gave nature to His children to utilize and take care of it, not abuse it. We understand that all created things belong to God and that as stewards of the creation, we are responsible to Him. To fulfill the objectives God intended for all of creation, He has given us the task of ruling over everything in a way that supports, protects, and enhances His handiwork. Though, this has been ignored by many. We are too focused on our own desires that we turn a blind eye to the commands of our Lord and the issues of the world. We must manage the environment for the glory of God, not just for our own advantage.

“Zero waste” is a way of living that promotes the objective of lowering the quantity of stuff we throw away. It is an advocacy effort aimed at assisting people ethically, economically, and efficiently transforming their lifestyles and habits toward sustainable systems, as well as ensuring that wastes become beneficial for other purposes [1] . A systematic design and management of products and processes are required to reduce the amount of waste created, eliminate toxicity in the resulting waste, and conserve and recover resources. When it comes to nature, there is no such thing as “waste.” When one system produces a by-product, it becomes feedstock for another. This item called “waste” has solely been created by mankind [2] .

The century’s worth of waste we dumped in this world cannot be cleaned up in a couple of days by a handful of people. It is better for every single one of us as a united community to be sustainable and perform actions that can improve the environment and the lives of every individual.

With their young mind, body, and energy, the youth can do numerous actions to help contribute to the zero-waste lifestyle.  They can adapt the habit of using less plastic, recycling old materials, reusing things, and using environmentally-friendly products as an alternative for materials that create more harm to the surroundings. They can also use their creativity to upcycle old garments into something that suits them. This is crucial since the fast fashion industry has created a massive impact on the environment. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the textile industry is responsible for 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions [3] , and according to McKinsey research, the fashion industry contributed 2.1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2018, accounting for 4% of global total emissions [4] . Since fashion takes a big part in how the youth present their personality, it is important that they know how to use them responsibly.

Moreover, the young generation is knowledgeable about technology and can utilize it to spread awareness, as well as innovate. They can conduct experiments, explore, and discover new things that can help nature.

Young individuals, like other people no matter the age, like to have fun. They can utilize their creative minds and active body to make programs and challenges that advocate for caring nature and promote a zero-waste lifestyle. This could include activities like “14 days No plastic challenge”, recycling activities, or  “1 week zero waste challenge.”  After this, they will reflect on how it changed their lives and how it can help the environment. Leaders and environmentalists will help assist these activities and will assess the youth on how environmentally healthy their lifestyle is.

The young members might also work on reuse projects and assist in the redistribution of usable commodities to people in need, such as surplus food donated to shelters, furniture for refugees, and business clothing for job seekers. Additionally, they can create a compost pit, not just in their home but in the community where they can plant a garden for everyone to use and take care of.

When it comes to the youth’s abilities, the possibilities are limitless. Allowing them to start young will offer them more time to think, invent, act, and leave a legacy of healthy change and wisdom for the subsequent generations to benefit from.

The future of the world is in the hands of the youth- the younger generation and the hope of tomorrow. Teach and lead them at the present, and with the wisdom they accumulated, they will work and change the future for the generations to come. Teach them to love the gifts and blessings God gave to His children, and they’ll take care of the environment- the plants, trees, and animals. Their minds are vast and creative, full of ideas and knowledge. They are problem solvers, inquisitive, and imaginative, and they have the ability to create hundreds of possibilities. These minds need to be fed about the significance of sustainability and nurturing nature since they can live long enough to take a glimpse and live in the future.

Reference: [1] Practice Zero Waste Lifestyle Everyday [Internet]. Wwf.org.ph. 2022 [cited 18 January 2022]. Available from: https://wwf.org.ph/resource-center/story-archives-2020/zero-waste-lifestyle/ [2] How Communities Have Defined Zero Waste | US EPA [Internet]. US EPA. 2022 [cited 18 January 2022]. Available from: https://www.epa.gov/transforming-waste-tool/how-communities-have-defined-zero-waste#:~:text=%22Zero%20Waste%22%20is%20a%20way,as%20%22waste%22%20in%20Nature [3] [Internet]. Unfccc.int. 2022 [cited 14 January 2022]. Available from: https://unfccc.int/news/un-helps-fashion-industry-shift-to-low-carbon [4] Berg A, Granskog A, Lee L, Magnus K-H. Fashion on climate [Internet]. McKinsey & Company. McKinsey & Company; 2020 [cited 2022 Jan12]. Available from: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/fashion-on-climate

Catalysts for Change

By: Odessa Decano

There is no doubt that the current state of our planet is at its worst right now. From climate change, pollution, contaminated water systems to people dumping garbage on the streets, we can’t deny that we as a society largely contributed to our planet’s declining environmental health. But we, as youth members of our society, have a lot of things to offer. As Dr. Jose Rizal once said, the youth is the hope of the nation. Not just for the future of our country, but also for the future of the whole wide world. And now is the time to start.

Living a Zero Waste Lifestyle – This could sound intimidating and impossible at first, but adding a sprinkle of fun to your zero waste lifestyle will definitely help you big time. For example, you can use your recycled stuff as materials for arts and crafts. Old magazines and newspapers can turn a piece of paper into a beautiful scrapbook page. Plastic bottles and cans can be turned into pencil cases, flower vases, or even lamps. Junk food wrappers and juice packs can be turned into bags, wallets, and even accessories like hairbands, bracelets, and rings. It is cheap, creative, and eco-friendly. A dash of creativity goes a long way, and you can even earn profit from selling these goods made from recycled items. Especially during this pandemic, being able to help with your family’s financial needs while doing what you love, sounds incredible and fun at the same time.

Reusing and avoiding buying “one-time use only” items – Aside from you saving the environment, you also save money by reusing and purchasing items that can be used over and over again. According to Zero Waste Scotland, “A lot of energy goes into the production of new items, so by re-using unwanted items first, we can help reduce the need to produce a new one.” Considering how pollution from factories making new products greatly affects our environment day by day, it is vital that we are aware of the consequences of us not having second thoughts when purchasing unnecessary stuff. Practicality is important during these times, and we can achieve that by reusing items that are still functional and safe to use. For example, buying real silverware such as spoons, forks, and plates is a lot cheaper and more waste-free than buying plastic ones.

Using your voice to influence other people – You can utilize your social media accounts as vessels for your advocacies. As the majority of the world’s population has access to the internet, it is not impossible to voice out and influence your friends or followers to be more environment-friendly. Of course, you don’t have to be yelling and preaching at random people on the internet about your zero waste lifestyle, but being able to share factual information, tips and ideas with others that are interested or curious about your cause are essential when you want people to take your advocacies seriously. Participating in trends, hashtags, and groups that are related to saving the environment can also help you be more educated and even make friends with others who have the same mindset and way of living. While it is good to influence others, what matters most is the impact you make on the lives of the people around you. Communicate with your parents, siblings, relatives, and neighbors. Show them the benefits of living a zero-waste life. There is power in number.

There might come a time when our planet will give up on us, the same way we gave up on it. It’s just a matter of when and how that will happen. But that doesn’t mean that we should just abandon all hope for the future of humanity. As youth, it is our responsibility to contribute to our nation, even in the form of living a zero-waste lifestyle. We should always remember how the generations before us made our lives a lot easier, and we should also do the same for the next generations. Don’t let the future suffer the consequences of the mistakes done by the past and the present.

Creating a Zero-waste Future

By: Niña Mae Bahian

Environmental problems are always an issue. There will always be news about environmental issues like climate change, global warming, and the ozone layer. Seeing the news about environmental issues always makes us hopeless and miserable thinking we can’t solve them anymore. But if we implement a zero-waste lifestyle, we can help avoid or decrease the chances of these problems getting worse. A Zero-Waste lifestyle promotes the goal of reducing the amount of waste. Even the youth can help us gain a zero-waste environment. All of us making a small change will make a big change in our environment.

Many landfills are filled with waste more than their capacity. A landfill is a well-managed facility for the disposal of solid waste. We live in a world where we just consume so much then don’t know what to do with it after. The landfills release methane which, in turn, results in contaminating bodies of water which damages ecosystems and also our health.

The 5Rs create an important role in solving environmental problems; they are Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot and Refuse. First off, reduce. We need to reduce using plastics too much. Instead, we should use some alternatives like Tupperware or wooden utensils. Also, if buying groceries or going to the market, we should bring something like an eco-bag, to reduce waste. Second, reuse. Reuse some items. If some plastics can still be used, well, use it but not for quite too long since it’s also bad for us. Next time, buy reusable utensils or items like metal or wood items since these can be washed and used again. Buy a reusable bottle instead of buying a plastic one every day. Try pausing on tissue paper and instead go with handkerchiefs. Third, recycle. Recycle plastic in a way it can be used for something or be decorative like making D.I.Y or do-it-yourself flower pots or decorations. Fourth, Rot. Many vegetables, fruit, and leaf scraps can be thrown or made into compost. A compost also acts out something like a fertilizer for the soil so, if done right, it is actually good for the environment. Many households have compost pits in them. Even our family has a compost so, I encourage everyone including children to do the same. Last but not the least, refuse. Refuse using plastics. Use some reusable alternatives. In these times, we can mostly find some reusable wood and metal utensils. Many restaurants nowadays don’t use plastic anymore, like cups and straws. Some use paper cups and straws. The straws may be uncomfortable, it’s better that way than polluting the environment. Also, if the straws are uncomfortable, we can always just sip from the cup. There are also a lot of other options aside from the 5R’s.

An example is avoiding using too much Styrofoam since we all know it’s toxic for the environment. Separate different wastes from each other; biodegradable with biodegradable and non-biodegradable with non-biodegradable. Donate old clothes to charity. Make your own cleaning supply from scratch. Try cooking or reusing leftovers or give them to someone.

Little efforts can make a huge difference. Clean oceans, save marine life. Don’t throw trash anywhere. With these simple yet powerful things, we can surely achieve a long-awaited goal–to live a zero-waste life.

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The Importance of Efficient Waste Management for Small Businesses

In today’s business landscape, sustainability and environmental responsibility have become critical for success. Small businesses, in particular, increasingly recognize the importance of efficient waste management.

Not only does it help in reducing operational costs, but it also enhances a company’s reputation and contributes to the broader goal of environmental sustainability. Efficient waste management is not merely a regulatory requirement but a strategic imperative that can drive business growth and sustainability.

In this context, services like selma roll off dumpster rentals are pivotal in ensuring small businesses can manage their waste effectively. By partnering with professional waste management providers, companies can ensure compliance with environmental regulations, enhance operational efficiency, and position themselves as responsible corporate citizens.

The Economic Benefits of Efficient Waste Management

Effective waste disposal should also be paramount to small business establishments since it can lead to many savings. This, in turn, will help reduce the cost of disposing of waste and acquiring more raw materials to cover up for the waste produced. For example, introducing a recycling policy for items can help cut the amount of garbage that must be dumped, hence lowering the disposal cost. However, recycling can generate revenue through the recovery of recyclable material.

Moreover, waste management can also positively impact the organization’s revenue through better resource use. This concept helps businesses define areas that require optimization as they seek to use fewer resources with the aim of achieving the same or better results. For instance, streamlining manufacturing methods to reduce waste can result in significant cost savings. These savings can be invested back into the business for new development or into other realms of the company.

Additionally, sectors that can effectively manage their waste stand to be more capable of meeting the requirements of environmental laws. Failure to adhere to waste management laws can lead to fines and legal consequences that are expensive and disastrous for any company, especially small-scale ones. It thus implies that these financial risks are eliminated through compliance with the set rules and regulations, allowing businesses to operate efficiently.

Enhancing Business Reputation Through Sustainability

Evaluating today’s consumer and stakeholder demands for products and services, sustainability and environmental consciousness are highly sought after. Companies that have embraced environmental standards can help build their brand image and attract consumers with green values. Having a proper waste management system in place is a measurable way for organizations to demonstrate their environmental stewardship.

Sustainability can be an essential factor that distinguishes a firm from other firms and influences consumers’ brand perception. Customers tend to be loyal and give their patronage to businesses that have the correct values as they do, and with sustainability, more people are willing to give their business to organizations with sustainable policies. Ensuring efficiency in waste management can also help organizations gain credibility with consumers to establish healthier and more productive relationships.

Additionally, product differentiation can be achieved through a sustainable image, which creates new business opportunities. Many firms and organizations tend to select their business partners based on sustainability. This can create new sales, contracts, and business relations that help grow and expand the firm.

The Environmental Impact of Efficient Waste Management

Generally, effective waste management’s impacts are apparent in improving the environment. A company can, therefore, reduce wastage and improve its recycling standards to help minimize the extent of harm it causes to the environment. Waste management should be undertaken properly to reduce the amount of waste that is dumped into landfills since this is detrimental to the environment in the following ways: Recycling of such materials as papers, plastics, and metals helps to minimize the usage of raw materials and therefore helps to save energy and limit pollution.

Waste management also ensures that the ecosystem and the biodiversities of the particular region are well-conserved. Littering can result in the fouling of water, soil, and air through pollution, negatively impacting the animals and ecosystems. The general idea is that by effective waste management, businesses will help protect the immediate environment and support the existence of more species.

Additionally, proper waste management can help implement other environmental enhancement strategies and objectives. Most governments and various organizations have defined lofty goals for waste reduction and recycling. Organizations can adapt their processes to these goals and work towards achieving the laid-down targets to foster sustainability worldwide.

Implementing Efficient Waste Management Practices

Here are some guidelines that small business owners should follow to implement an effective waste management program in their businesses. First, it is necessary to perform a waste audit to recognize the types and amounts of waste generated by the enterprise. This could be useful in identifying the main areas of waste and formulating possible measures to combat them.

When the various wastes are established, appropriate ways of managing them, possibly through reduction, reuse, or even recycling, can be put in place. This may involve establishing an organized program for collecting waste and recycling it or using materials that can be reused and looking for other ways through which waste materials can be effectively used.

Other notable factors include employee training and engagement, which are paramount in determining the effectiveness of waste management interventions. In addition, having a waste management policy involving all the employees can help change the organizational culture by promoting the idea of sustainable waste management.

Organo-consulting with professional waste management services can further boost the effectiveness of waste management practices. Waste Removal USA is an example of a specialized service providers in the industry; it offers roll-off dumpster rentals to firms. These services can help in disposing of waste while at the same time observing the set measures as per the laws of the land.

Waste management is a crucial key success factor that should be considered, especially in a small business. The advantages include cost reduction and compliance with rules and requirements, strengthening the company’s image, and the positive influence on the natural environment, which has been revealed as a crucial activity for businesses irrespective of their size.

Effective waste management and cooperation with Selma roll-off dumpster rentals from professional services allow small businesses to stimulate growth, enhance the concept of sustainability, and promote the development of a healthier living environment. Waste management is necessary for any organization, and the right strategy would pay off in both the short and long terms for any company and society.

Business Matters

What is circularity?

Ever since the Industrial Revolution, we’ve consumed products in largely the same way. A company will extract or collect the resources to create a product, which consumers then buy, use, and ultimately throw away. This is known as a linear model of mass consumption.

Get to know and directly engage with McKinsey’s senior experts on circularity.

Clarisse Magnin-Mallez is a senior partner in the Paris office; Danielle Bozarth and Humayun Tai are senior partners in the New York office; Jukka Maksimainen is a senior partner in the Helsinki office; Rob Bland is a senior partner in the Bay Area office; Stefan Helmcke is a senior partner in the Vienna office; Tjark Freundt is a senior partner in the Hamburg office; and Tomas Nauclér is a senior partner in the Stockholm office.

We know now that this model of consumption has contributed to the changes in our climate that, if left unaddressed, threaten to make life much more difficult in coming decades. Every year, some $2.6 trillion worth of material in fast-moving consumer goods—80 percent of the material value—is thrown away and never recovered .

Circularity presents an alternative to the linear model. In a circular economy, resources can be used over and over again, often for the same or similar purposes.

Three major principles govern a circular economy:

• Preserve and enhance natural capital (the world’s stock of natural assets) by controlling finite resources and balancing the flow of renewable resources.
• Optimize resource yields by circulating products, components, and materials in use at the highest possible levels at all times.
• Make the system more effective by eliminating unintended negative consequences, like air and water pollution.

A circular economy is a worthy goal in itself. But it also presents an opportunity for organizations to gain a competitive edge. One McKinsey study estimates that a circular economy could represent a revenue opportunity of more than $1 trillion  in Europe alone in 2050. Another McKinsey analysis estimates that shifting to circular business models may help European consumer goods companies access a value pool worth up to €500 billion  by 2030. Companies, particularly consumer goods companies, which commit themselves to environmental, social, and governmental ( ESG ) metrics, stand to become the leaders of the future.

For more on circular economies, and how companies can reap the potential rewards, read on.

Learn more about McKinsey’s Consumer Packaged Goods  and Operations  Practices.

Does circularity mean less productivity? Isn’t that bad?

On a country scale, productivity  can mean the difference between good and not-so-good standards of living. For a company, productivity can determine whether it can afford to increase wages for its employees or even if it can continue operating. Stagnating or contracting productivity can signal serious trouble ahead for individuals, organizations, and nations alike.

But the truth is plain to see: to reduce the massive waste our societies are currently producing, we must drastically slow emissions-heavy productive activity. In the past, the idea of slowing productivity might have been shocking for both governments and consumer goods companies. How can consumer goods companies survive in a world where customers are buying fewer new things?

The clear business potential of circular consumer goods can help answer that question. Consumer goods companies should see circularity as an opportunity, not a threat; as we’ll see, circular business models can create a valuable link between business logic and sustainability.

What are some growth drivers for circular consumer goods?

Increasing consumer demand for sustainable products is probably the biggest driver of circularity. But other factors  will also play a role. These include regulation, technological progress, infrastructure, supply-side activity, and the macroeconomic environment.

Let’s start with regulation. Some governments are already pushing hard for circularity. Under the European Green Deal, the European Union has adopted the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), which pledges billions of euros to net-zero  enablers until 2032. Several European nations have also implemented extended-producer responsibility, presenting significant financial incentives to companies looking to transition to circular business models.

Introducing McKinsey Explainers : Direct answers to complex questions

But regulation, as well as company efforts to lean into more sustainable business models, can be significantly impacted by the macroeconomic environment. An economic downturn, inflation, or geopolitical instability could make organizations more reluctant to invest in circular business models. Equally, a downturn could drive consumers toward secondary markets of upcycled products.

Learn more about McKinsey’s Consumer Packaged Goods Practice .

Which consumer industries stand to benefit the most?

Looking ahead, there are significant opportunities for consumer goods organizations in a variety of sectors to shift their business models toward lucrative circular opportunities. The following are the key drivers of potential growth  across several segments:

• Fashion and luxury . The main driver of circular fashion  and luxury in 2030 will be an up to tenfold increase in recycled, sustainably produced products, which will contain a high share of sustainable fibers.
• Electronics . The €65 billion to €90 billion European market for circular electronics in 2030 will be driven primarily by refurbished products. The market for refurbished smartphones, laptops, and tablets is already growing fast; McKinsey expects increased circularity with respect to small, branded home appliances (major home appliances will be better suited to maintenance and repair).
• Home and living . The market for circular home and living, estimated to be worth up to €45 billion in 2030, will be driven by sustainably produced furniture, that is, made with wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and home goods containing sustainable materials.
• Sports . The market for circular sporting goods in 2030 will be driven by recycled, sustainably produced apparel and footwear products, as well as sports equipment and accessories.
• Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) . The market for circular nonfood FMCGs will be shaped by players’ ability to package goods in 100 percent recycled or biodegradable material.

Selling more circular products is one opportunity—but circularity is also about servicing products. McKinsey anticipates circular services to be a growth area as well. The maintenance and repair service market, including services like fashion mending, battery replacement, and sports equipment servicing, is estimated to be worth up to €70 billion by 2030. This growth will be primarily driven by providers acting at scale.

How can other industries incorporate circularity into their business cycles?

• Plastics . Demand for circular plastics has led to outsize margins in recent years. But for circular plastics to meet global demand, investment is needed. For example, as much as $100 billion of investment  will be required for plastic packaging to achieve the goal of containing 20 to 30 percent recycled materials.
• Batteries . Global demand for lithium-ion batteries is expected to soar over the next decade, with batteries for mobility applications like electric vehicles  accounting for the majority of demand in 2030. For battery players to achieve the full potential of a circular value chain, they will need to adopt circular business models  (including battery as a service or mobility as a service) and employ technological advances that could contribute to circularity (including, for instance, scrap recycling).
• Cement and concrete . Demand for cement and concrete has nearly tripled over the past 20 years. The cement economy is a major contributor  to global emissions, and up to 40 percent of today’s solid waste is created through the construction and maintenance of the built environment. McKinsey research shows that circular technologies, including alternative fuels, carbon curing, recarbonation, and carbon capture and storage, could help decarbonize about 80 percent  of total concrete and cement emissions by 2050.

Learn more about McKinsey’s Engineering, Construction, and Building Materials Practice .

How can product life cycles be extended?

In a circular economy in both B2B and B2C settings, product users should be encouraged to take the following steps (exhibit) :

• Disassembly . The product user takes the first step in the circular value chain by disassembling the product in preparation of sending it back to the manufacturer or store. Manufacturers can ease this process by producing modular products with a simplified dismantling process and clear instructions on how to disassemble the product.
• Return shipping . For circular value chains to work, it should be easy for consumers to easily return the products. Companies can support product users by providing return packaging with clear instructions, financial incentives like paid shipping costs, and product design that makes returns easy to ship.
• Return assessment . Companies then assess the condition of the received product, based on visible damage like scratches or scuffs. They then make a decision about next steps.
• Resource utilization . Companies should select the circularity option that will generate the most value. Options include reuse, repair, refurbishment, remanufacture, and recycle. McKinsey predicts up to 15 percent  average growth in the electronic-refurbishment segment in coming years. Recycling in fashion, on the other hand, is likely to see 15 to 30 percent annual growth, generating €45 billion to €110 billion in annual value in Europe alone.
• Resale . Companies will then sell products to the next consumer, depending on their chosen circularity option.

Despite the options provided to consumers in a B2B or B2C circular economy, getting consumers to change their behaviors is not an easy—or inexpensive—task. Extensive investment and outreach will be required to support each of these steps.

Learn more about McKinsey’s Operations Practice .

What are the next steps for consumer goods companies?

McKinsey has delineated four critical moves  for consumer goods companies looking to pursue circular business models:

• Portfolio strategy: define where to play . Consumer goods companies should calibrate their portfolios toward segments and categories with the biggest opportunities for circularity.
• Green business building: capture new markets . Consumer goods companies have the opportunity to build entirely new businesses around circular products and services. One example is Ireland-based start-up refurbed, which has built  a marketplace for refurbished electronics products.
• Green premiums: win in existing markets . Circular products deployed in existing markets can win market share. One big multinational corporation, for example, was able to capture growth  on the back of a consumer-, performance-, and sustainability-driven proposition with a focus on recycling and energy efficiency.
• Green operations and supply: enable circular consumer goods . Improving the sustainability of supply chains and operations can make a huge difference in the lifetime value of consumer goods. The Swedish recycling company Renewcell partnered  with retailer Beyond Retro to launch a new plant that will recycle 30,000 metric tons of textile waste per year.

Learn more about McKinsey’s Consumer Packaged Goods Practice . Also check out circularity-related job opportunities if you’re interested in working at McKinsey.

Articles referenced:

• “ Talk is cheap: How much will consumers really pay for green products? ,” April 25, 2024, Tjark Freundt , Cornelia Grossmann, Sascha Lehmann , and Yvonne Staack
• “ A new holistic view on circular value chains ,” March 28, 2024, Stefan Fahrni, Eric Hannon , Julian Kirchherr , and Nik Sachteleben
• “ From trials to triumphs in buildings materials circularity: Takeaways from Davos ,” February 1, 2024, Maximilian Gebhardt, Jukka Maksimainen , and Sebastian Reiter  
• “ Building circular: Maximizing CO 2 abatement and business opportunities ,” January 9, 2024, Maximilian Gebhardt, Janice Klaiber, Jukka Maksimainen , Sebastian Reiter , Fernando Gomez, Anis Nassar, and Jörgen Sandström
• “ A unique moment in time: Scaling plastics circularity ,” August 16, 2023, Wenting Gao , Mikhail Kirilyuk, Rupa Ramamurthi, and Jeremy Wallach
• “ The circular cement value chain: Sustainable and profitable ,” March 6, 2023, Sarah Heincke, Jukka Maksimainen , Daniel Pacthod, Sebastian Reiter , Humayun Tai , and Michel Van Hoey
• “ Consumers care about sustainability—and back it up with their wallets ,” February 6, 2023. Jordan Bar Am , Vinit Doshi, Anandi Malik, Steve Noble , and Sherry Frey
• “ Battery 2030: Resilient, sustainable, and circular ,” January 16, 2023, Jakob Fleischmann, Mikael Hanicke , Evan Horetsky, Dina Ibrahim, Sören Jautelat , Martin Linder , Patrick Schaufuss , Lukas Torscht, and Alexandre van de Rijt
• “ How a ‘materials transition’ can support the net-zero agenda ,” July 20, 2022, Per-Anders Enkvist , Per Klevnäs, Robert Westerdahl, and Anders Åhlén
• “ Converging energy markets in pursuit of a net-zero world ,” July 6, 2022, Tim Fitzgibbon, John Navarro, Humayun Tai , and Andrew Warrell
• “ Playing offense on circularity can net European consumer goods companies €500 billion ,” June 28, 2022, Sebastian Gatzer, Stefan Helmcke , and Daniel Roos
• “ Accelerating toward net zero: The green business building opportunity ,” June 14, 2022, Rob Bland , Anna Granskog , and Tomas Nauclér
• “ Closing the loop: Increasing fashion circularity in California ,” March 31, 2022, Danielle Bozarth , Alyssa Bryan, Steve Hoffman , Nancy Jones, Melissa Mazin, Kimika Padilla, Giulia Siccardo, and Brennan Wong
• “ Developing products for a circular economy ,” November 14, 2016, Eric Hannon , Marianne Kuhlmann, and Benjamin Thaidigsmann
• “ Why the circular economy is all about retaining value ,” October 18, 2016, Clarisse Magnin-Mallez, and Eric Hannon
• “ The circular economy: Moving from theory to practice ,” October 2016, Eric Hannon , Clarisse Magnin-Mallez, and Helga Vanthournout
• “ Growth within: A circular economy vision for a competitive Europe ,” June 1, 2015

Want to know more about circularity?

Related articles.

From trials to triumphs in building materials circularity: Takeaways from Davos

Battery 2030: Resilient, sustainable, and circular

Playing offense on circularity can net European consumer goods companies €500 billion

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How to Deal with Food Waste in Restaurants: Sustainable Practices

June 18th, 2024 by JWU

If you’re interested in sustainable practices in the restaurant industry, you may be wondering how to deal with food waste in restaurants as well. What is food waste, and what practices can restaurants adopt to curb it? Read on to gain a better understanding of restaurant food waste and get some inspiring ideas to offset it and make restaurant management more sustainable.

What is Food Waste in Restaurants?

The Economic Research Service (ERS) of the  U.S. Department of Agriculture  defines food waste as a subcomponent of overall food loss that covers “discarded” food items. “Examples include edible food discarded by retailers due to color or appearance and plate waste thrown away by consumers,” according to the ERS. Both of these examples of food waste are prevalent among U.S. restaurants.

Understanding the Problem: The Scope of Food Waste

Americans ultimately waste roughly 40 percent of their food . Putting a monetary value on this food waste, the domestic costs come out to roughly $218 billion each year.

Financial Costs of Food Waste

Resulting in bigger orders of necessary ingredients and increased sanitation/disposal fees, food waste can impact a restaurant’s financial bottom line in countless ways. Additionally, it can also lead to higher operating costs.

Environmental Impacts of Food Waste

Beyond its immediate financial costs, food waste contributes to wasted energy, water, and other essential resources up and down the food supply chain. The rotting of organic materials in local landfills also causes dangerous methane deposits.

Reducing Food Waste: Strategies for Every Stage of Operation

After considering its resounding costs, you are probably wondering how to reduce food waste in restaurants. Inventory management, supply storage, kitchen prep, menu design, and customer outreach are just a few general areas of restaurant operations that can keep food waste to a minimum .

Procurement and Inventory Management

When restaurants keep too much perishable food stock, that food will inevitably go to waste. The following practices are essential for restaurants that want to avoid waste by always keeping the right amount of inventory on hand.

Data-Driven Forecasting

To ensure that they can feed their customers without overordering supplies, restaurants must pay close attention to sales records and other relevant data to predict future demand using reliable forecast models. This practice helps in minimizing waste and optimizing inventory management.

Smart Supplier Relationships

From the timeliness of their deliveries to the range of their shipment sizes, suppliers can impact a restaurant’s ability to manage inventory in a variety of ways. At the very least, restaurant owners/managers should look for suppliers that stress sustainable practices and allow for the adjustment of orders as needed.

FIFO System

FIFO, which stands for “first in, first out,” is an inventory management approach that prioritizes using older stock or supplies before newer ones. Perishable food items, in particular, can benefit from FIFO’s emphasis on rapid turnover.

Efficient Storage to Prolong Freshness

Even if you take great care to order the right amount of inventory for your restaurant, your efforts will amount to very little if you fail to effectively store your food for maximum freshness.

Temperature Control

Heat, by and large, leads to spoilage. After researching the ideal storage conditions for all the food items in your restaurant inventory, you must strive to meet those conditions through appropriate refrigeration and freezing.

Labeling and Organization

Clearly visible food supply labels with accurate dating can do wonders for your FIFO efforts. Use these labels to move supplies that will expire sooner toward the front to prevent them from getting misplaced and forgotten about.

Optimized Storage Containers

You cannot overestimate the value of choosing containers that maintain optimum food quality and prevent spoilage. While food products made of grain and fiber may benefit from an airtight container, fruits and vegetables often require a container with ventilation.

Smart Prep and Portion Control

Offering meals with customizable portions and preparing them accordingly, restaurants can provide the precise amount of food that customers demand and reduce the likelihood that uneaten food will be thrown away. This not only helps in minimizing food waste but also allows customers to tailor their meals to their specific dietary needs and preferences. Additionally, it can lead to greater customer satisfaction and repeat business.

Minimize Trimming Waste

From dicing tomatoes to removing excess fat from cuts of meat, waste trimming processes offer significant opportunities to combat food waste. Restaurant managers/owners are wise to teach their kitchen staff members techniques to consider all usable parts of the food they prepare.

Pre-Prepping

For many restaurants, effective food prep means preparing batches of raw ingredients ahead of time. This pre-prepping approach can help you use only the ingredients needed based on data-driven forecasting.

Right-Sized Portions

Beyond allowing customers to order the same menu item in two or more sizes, restaurant owners/managers should closely observe customer eating habits and adjust meal portions accordingly.

Creative Menu Design for Sustainability

Creating a sustainable menu goes beyond adjusting portion sizes. A comprehensive approach involves thoughtful ingredient selection, innovative preparation methods, and an emphasis on seasonal availability. By integrating these elements, you can minimize waste and enhance both the sustainability and profitability of your menu. For instance, sourcing locally grown, in-season produce not only reduces food miles but also ensures fresher, longer-lasting ingredients. Additionally, innovative cooking techniques can transform lesser-used parts of ingredients into gourmet dishes, reducing overall waste.

Seasonal Ingredients

Incorporating seasonal ingredients into your menu is a powerful strategy for sustainability. Seasonal produce is often at its peak in flavor and nutritional value, making dishes more appealing to customers. Additionally, in-season items tend to be more abundant and less expensive, allowing restaurants to reduce costs. By planning menus around seasonal availability, you can also ensure a fresher supply chain and minimize the environmental impact associated with transporting out-of-season produce.

Whole Food Utilization

Maximizing the use of every ingredient in your kitchen can significantly cut down on food waste. This practice, known as whole food utilization, involves finding creative ways to use parts of ingredients that are typically discarded. For example, meat scraps can be turned into rich stocks, and vegetable stems can be blended into vibrant pestos or sauces. Embracing this approach not only reduces waste but also adds unique flavors and textures to your menu, enhancing the dining experience.

“Specials” to Use Up Surplus

Daily or weekly specials are an excellent way to manage surplus ingredients effectively. Instead of letting excess produce or proteins go to waste, turn them into featured dishes that highlight your kitchen’s creativity. This not only helps in reducing waste but also keeps the menu dynamic and exciting for regular patrons. Planning these specials around surplus ingredients ensures that nothing goes to waste, while also offering customers new and varied options to enjoy.

Customer-Facing Waste Reduction

While restaurants can do much to reduce food waste on their own, they can stretch their efforts even further by enlisting their customers in the fight. With that in mind, it makes sense to partner with your customers in the name of waste reduction. When it comes to how to reduce food waste in restaurants, you will find that many conscientious people are eager to understand and happy to help.

Smaller Plates

Take the time to carefully and diligently explain the ways that smaller serving sizes can reduce plate waste while at the same time boosting, rather than reducing, overall customer satisfaction. Customers mindful of their calorie intake can better manage their portions with smaller plates, and tablemates can more easily sample and share a variety of menu items.

Encourage Takeout Containers

Beyond educating customers on portion sizes to minimize leftovers, you can provide suitable takeout containers and enthusiastically suggest that your customers bring their leftovers home.

Educate Customers

There is virtually no end to the ways that a restaurant can inform its customer base about the value of food waste reduction. Consider including subtle messaging about food conservation problems and solutions on restaurant menus or promotional table tents.

Beyond Reduction: What to Do with Unavoidable Waste

From environmental factors that lead to unexpected crop yield production to a sudden loss of refrigeration power during supply-chain storage, countless factors contribute to food waste that is frankly unavoidable. Fortunately, a restaurant can make the most of its spoiled and uneaten food items so they don’t go entirely to waste.

Like many private homeowners and other businesses, restaurants can compost their organic waste to create nutrient-rich soil that can support all kinds of plant life. Beyond onsite composting measures, restaurants also commonly partner with local farms and other organizations that accept compostable food waste.

Food Donation

While it isn’t always feasible and safe, restaurants can connect with food banks and shelters to donate surplus edible food. Among other large restaurant chains, Panera has successfully controlled food waste using this approach.

Food Recovery Apps

Modern technology can serve a powerful tool to help restaurants find practical uses for food that would otherwise go to waste. The free digital app  Too Good To Go  gives users access to unsold food from restaurants and cafes as well as grocery stores.

How to Start Your Waste Reduction Journey

Regarding how to deal with food waste in restaurants, it’s wise to take the first step toward restaurant food waste reduction by adhering to a few actionable guidelines. Let’s dive into them!

Conduct a Food Waste Audit

To curb your food waste, you must first identify and measure it. Start by recording your baseline food waste data by calculating your incoming and outgoing inventory. You should also consider physically collecting, sorting, and weighing your wasted food items during a designated audit period.

Limit Your Areas of Focus

Although there are countless ways to manage food waste, a wise restaurant owner/manager will start small by making one or two highly manageable changes. Focusing on too many areas at once may result in oversights. It’s also important to consider seasonality and other factors that could impact the outcome.

Engage Your Staff

Effective staff training and open lines of employer/employee communication are key elements for any restaurant that seeks to reduce food waste. By fostering a culture of awareness and responsibility, restaurants can ensure that all team members are actively contributing to waste reduction efforts.

Waste Reduction as Part of a Comprehensive Restaurant Management Education

Eager to learn more about food waste control and other aspects of sensible restaurant management? At   Johnson & Wales University, you can pursue a  Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management  or a  Master of Science in Food Safety  entirely online. Both programs take a comprehensive look at restaurant effective restaurant operations and food supply chain issues. For more information about completing your degree online, complete our  Request Info form , call 855-JWU-1881, or email  [email protected] .

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Life cycle assessment of plastic waste in Suzhou, China: Management strategies toward sustainable express delivery

• Xu, Tingting
• Shao, Zhijuan
• Shen, Chunqi
• Yao, Fenggen
• Zheng, Jiaxing

The explosive growth of China's express delivery industry has greatly increased plastic waste, with low-value plastics not effectively utilized, such as PE packaging bags, which are often not recycled and end up in landfills or incinerators, causing significant resource waste and severe plastic pollution. A gate -to- grave life cycle assessment was adopted to assess the impacts of express delivery plastic waste (EDPW) management models (S1, landfill; S2, incineration; S3, mechanical pelletization), with Suzhou, China as a case. Results showed that mechanical pelletization, was the most environmentally advantageous, exhibiting a comprehensive environmental impact potential of ‑215.54 Pt, significantly lower than that of landfill (S1, 78.45 Pt) and incineration (S2, -121.77 Pt). The analysis identified that the end-of-life disposal and sorting stages were the principal contributors to environmental impacts in all three models, with transportation and transfer stages of residual waste having minimal effects. In terms of all environmental impact categories, human carcinogenic toxicity (HTc) emerged as the most significant contributor in all three scenarios. Specifically, S1 exhibited the most detrimental effect on human health, while S2 and S3 showed positive environmental impacts. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the application and innovation in mechanical recycling technologies be enhanced, the promotion of the eco-friendly transformation of packaging materials be pursued, and a sustainable express delivery packaging recycling management system be established. These strategies are essential for achieving more eco-friendly management of EDPW, reducing its environmental pollution, and moving towards more sustainable express delivery management practices.

• Express delivery plastic waste;
• Life cycle assessment;
• Middle point impact;
• End point damage;
• Sustainable management

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Build a Corporate Culture That Works

There’s a widespread understanding that managing corporate culture is key to business success. Yet few companies articulate their culture in such a way that the words become an organizational reality that molds employee behavior as intended.

All too often a culture is described as a set of anodyne norms, principles, or values, which do not offer decision-makers guidance on how to make difficult choices when faced with conflicting but equally defensible courses of action.

The trick to making a desired culture come alive is to debate and articulate it using dilemmas. If you identify the tough dilemmas your employees routinely face and clearly state how they should be resolved—“In this company, when we come across this dilemma, we turn left”—then your desired culture will take root and influence the behavior of the team.

To develop a culture that works, follow six rules: Ground your culture in the dilemmas you are likely to confront, dilemma-test your values, communicate your values in colorful terms, hire people who fit, let culture drive strategy, and know when to pull back from a value statement.

Start by thinking about the dilemmas your people will face.

Idea in Brief

The problem.

There’s a widespread understanding that managing corporate culture is key to business success. Yet few companies articulate their corporate culture in such a way that the words become an organizational reality that molds employee behavior as intended.

What Usually Happens

How to fix it.

Follow six rules: Ground your culture in the dilemmas you are likely to confront, dilemma-test your values, communicate your values in colorful terms, hire people who fit, let culture drive strategy, and know when to pull back from a value.

At the beginning of my career, I worked for the health-care-software specialist HBOC. One day, a woman from human resources came into the cafeteria with a roll of tape and began sticking posters on the walls. They proclaimed in royal blue the company’s values: “Transparency, Respect, Integrity, Honesty.” The next day we received wallet-sized plastic cards with the same words and were asked to memorize them so that we could incorporate them into our actions. The following year, when management was indicted on 17 counts of conspiracy and fraud, we learned what the company’s values really were.

• EM Erin Meyer is a professor at INSEAD, where she directs the executive education program Leading Across Borders and Cultures. She is the author of The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business (PublicAffairs, 2014) and coauthor (with Reed Hastings) of No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention (Penguin, 2020). ErinMeyerINSEAD

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