Public Perceptions of MSW Management in Wrocław City, Poland

Abstract

Elevating public awareness of waste management at the household level is a cost effective and a win-win social, economic and environmental approach on the table of policymaking. Modern and effective waste management bring about broader economic efficiency and social equity, mitigate consumerism, thus, promoting the conservation of natural resources. In this article, a survey study was conducted among the citizens of Wrocław city, Poland. The city is dynamic, touristic, and industrial. Through random sampling, 160 respondents filled in the questionnaire. The results revealed that the participants appeared aware of the benefits of waste management (WM); however the current WM systems and infrastructures are not very satisfying. The participants identified several shortcomings in the current WM systems such as the lack of sufficient colored bins for glass recycling, overfilled bins and heavy lids, and irregular waste collection system. The study proposes a public-oriented outreach campaign targeting waste separation and less-waste behaviors as economically and environmentally beneficial, accompanied by continuous development of WM regulations and infrastructures and linked it to waste-to-energy systems and technologies to assist in achieving the long-term energy and emissions-reduction targets.