TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessment of municipal solid waste collection in Bolivia
T2 - Perspectives for avoiding uncontrolled disposal and boosting waste recycling options
AU - Ferronato, Navarro
AU - Portugal Alarcón, Grecia Paola
AU - Guisbert Lizarazu, Edith Gabriela
AU - Torretta, Vincenzo
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2021/4
Y1 - 2021/4
N2 - Solid waste open dumping is a big issue in the developing world. Environmental and social impacts due to this practice affect population health, increasing the spread of diseases and child mortality. The safe collection of waste is the first step for reducing these impacts. This research assesses households’ waste collection in a Bolivian developing city with the aim to find a solution to fostering waste safe disposal and recycling. The novelty of the study consists in implementing field analysis together with the use of geographic information systems and the life cycle assessment approach where the lack of data is challenging. Following the results of the research, the system optimization, compared to the current scenario, implies that: (1) collection distances increase by 8%, while the selective collection increases them by 27.8%; (2) the collection coverage increase from 51% to 94% and selective collection switch from zero to 6.7%; (3) about 75% of CO2-eq emissions are reduced, as well as the eutrophication potential (about 55%); (4) recycling reduces the human toxicity potential of 260% and depletion of abiotic resources of 30%; (5) finally, the cost per ton of waste collected reduces from 36.2USD t−1 to 26.5USD t−1, and rises to 39.7USD t−1 if the selective collection is applied. The research demonstrates how waste collection optimization can be implemented obtaining enormous benefits in developing cities. The methods and outcomes presented can be of reference for policymakers and stakeholders of the developing world for addressing safe collection toward sustainable development.
AB - Solid waste open dumping is a big issue in the developing world. Environmental and social impacts due to this practice affect population health, increasing the spread of diseases and child mortality. The safe collection of waste is the first step for reducing these impacts. This research assesses households’ waste collection in a Bolivian developing city with the aim to find a solution to fostering waste safe disposal and recycling. The novelty of the study consists in implementing field analysis together with the use of geographic information systems and the life cycle assessment approach where the lack of data is challenging. Following the results of the research, the system optimization, compared to the current scenario, implies that: (1) collection distances increase by 8%, while the selective collection increases them by 27.8%; (2) the collection coverage increase from 51% to 94% and selective collection switch from zero to 6.7%; (3) about 75% of CO2-eq emissions are reduced, as well as the eutrophication potential (about 55%); (4) recycling reduces the human toxicity potential of 260% and depletion of abiotic resources of 30%; (5) finally, the cost per ton of waste collected reduces from 36.2USD t−1 to 26.5USD t−1, and rises to 39.7USD t−1 if the selective collection is applied. The research demonstrates how waste collection optimization can be implemented obtaining enormous benefits in developing cities. The methods and outcomes presented can be of reference for policymakers and stakeholders of the developing world for addressing safe collection toward sustainable development.
KW - Developing countries
KW - Geographic information systems
KW - LCA
KW - Open dumps
KW - Selective collection
KW - Waste mismanagement
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85095575061&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105234
DO - 10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105234
M3 - Artículo
AN - SCOPUS:85095575061
SN - 0921-3449
VL - 167
JO - Resources, Conservation and Recycling
JF - Resources, Conservation and Recycling
M1 - 105234
ER -