Solid Waste Management Key Indicator Development for Hotels: A Tunisian Case Study Analysis

Abstract

The main objective of this research was to provide suitable technical, organizational, financial, legal, and social indicators for solid waste management (SWM) systems, which can be used to diagnose the current situation faced by tourist destinations (TD) in Tunisia. To this end, 33 interviews and field visits to hotels in Tunisia were carried out. Specifically, the study covers tourist municipalities, private companies, and environment and tourism authorities. A characterization analysis and a quantification of the solid waste (SW) generated by hotels were also performed. It was found that hotels generate large amounts of mixed SW, especially during the summer period. It represents, for example, 45.5% of the total SW generated per year in Hammamet, and can reach 54.2% during the summer. The interviews indicated that 83% of the hotels collect mixed waste, which is then sent to landfills. The characterization of the SW shows that hotels generate about 58% organic waste, and a minimum of 36% of recyclable waste could be valorized. From a financial point of view, the results indicated that the collected taxes from hotels do not cover the municipalities' expenses. The findings of the research reported in this paper can be used as a decision-making support.Recycling 2018, 3, 56 2 of 19 season ' [17]. This is also the case in Langkawi Island in Malaysia, where tourists generate double the amount of SW per capita compared to local residents [18].Good waste management in hotels could be among the solutions to improve the sector. In fact, around 30% of a hotel's SW can be sorted, reused, recycled, or recovered [19]. For example, as reported by Bohdanowicz [20], 80% of hotels in Sweden and 30.6% of hotels in Poland have active waste sorting and recycling programs. On the other hand, the composition of the waste generated depends on the tourist area. For example, in Hoi An in Vietnam, the waste composition of hotels was 58.5% for biodegradable waste, 25.8% for recyclables, and 15.7% for other [21]. Another study in Djerba showed that the organic fraction in one of the hotels represented more than 71% [22]. Contrariwise, the composition in the UK was 37% for food waste, 50% for recyclables, and 13% for other [23]. This difference influences the way of managing and treating waste generated between different countries.SWM in tourism destinations in developing countries still represents a big problem. For example, Ghadban et al. [24] presented the SWM crisis in Lebanon in 2015, in which hotels were the main producer of SW. Furthermore, Djerba Island in Tunisia, where hotels generate 45% of the total waste (according to the Ministry of Local Affairs and the Environment), has been experiencing a major waste management crisis since 2012 [25]. The increase in the quantities of waste necessarily causes the increase of the costs of the collection. Malaysia, for example, spends 75% of municipal budgets for waste collection [26].In Tunisia, tourism is an industry which has seen continuous development and will reach 8 million tourists b...

Shifting Towards Sustainable Tourism: Organizational and Financial Scenarios for Solid Waste Management in Tourism Destinations in Tunisia

“…In Tunisia, there are 44 tourism municipalities shared on 18 governorates. Furthermore, the solid waste generated from hotels is mostly mixed according to a questionnaire conducted by [30] and sorting initiatives are infrequent. This increases collection costs and reduces the lifespan of landfills [30].…”

“…Furthermore, the solid waste generated from hotels is mostly mixed according to a questionnaire conducted by [30] and sorting initiatives are infrequent. This increases collection costs and reduces the lifespan of landfills [30]. For instance, interviews performed by [30], indicate that 83% of the hotels collect mixed waste, which is then sent to landfills.…”

“…This increases collection costs and reduces the lifespan of landfills [30]. For instance, interviews performed by [30], indicate that 83% of the hotels collect mixed waste, which is then sent to landfills. The same source indicates that hotels generate large amounts of mixed solid waste, which can be much higher during the summer period where they represent a greater share of the total waste generated (e.g., 54.2% in Hammamet).…”

“…This process is more complex as local authorities have primary responsibility for effectively managing large amounts of waste to satisfy local citizens, visitors, and international tourists. The collection process is a high priority in the management of solid waste in tourism areas [30] and has a direct effect on the cleanliness of the destination. SWM in tourist destinations encompasses waste collection from streets, households and To transform individual responsibility into collective responsibility, a concrete EPR organization (System Operator/Producer Responsibility Organisation) should be established.…”

“…Chaabane et al also claim that the number of hotels that participate in sorting their waste at source is inadequate (only 17% of the hotels questioned in Tunisia contribute with small and inefficient sorting and composting programs), despite the existence of a large potentially recyclable fraction in the generated waste [30]. See Figure 3.…”