Challenges and Opportunities in Transforming a City into a “Zero Waste City”

Zaman, Atiq; Lehmann, Steffen

doi:10.3390/challe2040073

Cited by 118 publications

(97 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Yet, as the world hurtles towards its urban future with the world's urban population increasing by two new people every second, and with 95 per cent of such increases taking place in cities of developing countries, nowhere is the impact more obvious than in society's "detritus," or solid waste (Hoorneweg and Bhada-Tata 2012). Studies show that currently, cities cover only 2% of the world's surface but generate 70% of the world's waste (Zaaman and Lehman 2011). In Ghana, Accra produces conservatively 2,200 tonnes of solid waste daily, and is expected to reach 4,419 tonnes by 2030 (Oteng-Ababio 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rethinking waste as a resource: insights from a low-income community in Accra, Ghana

Oteng-Ababio

2014

City Territ Archit

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Conventional solid waste management protocols and thinking generally tend to assume that waste already exits and therefore needs to be managed. Consequently, most models of solid waste management, especially in the developing countries including Ghana, are simply reactions to the presence of something that needs to be disposed of or discarded. This paper sees this conventional solid waste management philosophy as a potential barrier to an efficient and sustainable management and argues that adopting an integrated systemic approach will both help to control the processes that generate waste (including waste handling and utilization) and enable city managers to minimize waste generation in the first place. This paper uses a project initiated by a community-based organization in Ga Mashie (Accra) to explore the potential of converting household waste into a resource. Adopting a multiple research methodology, the study analyzes the characteristic and composition of waste generated within communities in Accra. The results show that a greater part of the 'waste' is recyclable or potentially recyclable and that a well-coordinated recycling programme will not only ensure a huge reduction of waste volume, but can equally lengthen the life of existing dumpsites and possibly, create wealth and reduce poverty. The paper argues that scaling up the project offers the local authority an opportunity to tap into the innovative strengths embedded in the project, particularly its physical and economic synergies, which may bolster community sustainable development.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rethinking waste as a resource: insights from a low-income community in Accra, Ghana

Oteng-Ababio

2014

City Territ Archit

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“…Batty [13] takes an urban modeling approach to synthesize how concepts from complexity science may shape our understanding of today's cities and how cities can be designed in better ways. [27] identified critical factors and challenges for resource efficiency and management, while [28] investigated how to properly integrate ecology and urban design in smart cities contexts.…”

Section: Beyond Technologies Architectures and Infrastructuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Opening up Smart Cities: Citizen-Centric Challenges and Opportunities from GIScience

Degbelo

Granell

Trilles

et al. 2016

IJGI

131

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Abstract:The holy grail of smart cities is an integrated, sustainable approach to improve the efficiency of the city's operations and the quality of life of citizens. At the heart of this vision is the citizen, who is the primary beneficiary of smart city initiatives, either directly or indirectly. Despite the recent surge of research and smart cities initiatives in practice, there are still a number of challenges to overcome in realizing this vision. This position paper points out six citizen-related challenges: the engagement of citizens, the improvement of citizens' data literacy, the pairing of quantitative and qualitative data, the need for open standards, the development of personal services, and the development of persuasive interfaces. The article furthermore advocates the use of methods and techniques from GIScience to tackle these challenges, and presents the concept of an Open City Toolkit as a way of transferring insights and solutions from GIScience to smart cities.

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“…ZW is defined by the Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA) as "designing and managing products and processes systematically to eliminate the waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources and not burn or bury them" [5]. Thus, ZW is about waste prevention through sustainable design and consumption practices, optimum resource recovery from waste and not about managing waste by incineration or landfills [6]. It is understandable that ZW strongly supports waste avoidance and prevention approaches rather than waste treatment and disposal.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Strategic Framework for Working toward Zero Waste Societies Based on Perceptions Surveys

Zaman

2017

Recycling

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Abstract:The visionary concept of zero waste advocates a systematic process of designing out waste and recovering resources from waste. A strategic zero waste framework (ZWF) is essential for developing and executing systematic waste management activities to achieve the overarching goals. This study identifies the key principles for the development of a strategic ZWF based on a waste experts' survey analysis. Around 68 experts from different regions responded and provided their views on the key elements of a strategic ZWF though an online questionnaire survey. Eighteen strategic elements of waste prevention, management, treatment and assessment were identified as the key principles of the zero waste framework. As the study followed a generalized approach, it is important to acknowledge that all identified and proposed strategic elements may need to be contextualized based on the local conditions in order to achieve zero waste goals. Based on the findings, the study suggests the following three fundamental strategic action plans that need to be implemented simultaneously for moving towards zero waste societies: (i) sustainable production through a cradle-to-cradle design and product stewardship; (ii) collaborative and responsible consumption of natural resources; and (iii) zero waste management through conservation of resources. In addition, a constant evaluation of progress towards zero waste goals is essential. It is anticipated that by considering local circumstances, the proposed strategic guidelines would be beneficial for local authorities and relevant stakeholders while developing their zero waste strategy.

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Challenges and Opportunities in Transforming a City into a “Zero Waste City”

Cited by 118 publications

References 32 publications

Rethinking waste as a resource: insights from a low-income community in Accra, Ghana

Rethinking waste as a resource: insights from a low-income community in Accra, Ghana

Opening up Smart Cities: Citizen-Centric Challenges and Opportunities from GIScience

A Strategic Framework for Working toward Zero Waste Societies Based on Perceptions Surveys

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