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Community-Based Participatory Waste Management and Recycling
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Community-Based Participatory Waste Management and Recycling

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Waste and Recycling".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 December 2023) | Viewed by 12404

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Jutta Gutberlet

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Geography, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3060, STNCSC, Victoria, BC V8W 3R4, Canada
Interests: community-based research; sustainability; waste management; recycling; waste governance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue captures research that focuses on community engagement in waste management and that encompasses community-based participatory research (CBPR) methodologies. CBPR emphasizes the active role of community in participatory processes, legitimizing multiple forms of knowledge and employing a variety of mixed methods that provide discovery and dissemination of the findings. The goal of CBPR in waste studies is to directly or indirectly seek social transformations that ultimately contribute to social and environmental justice. There are no geographic limitations for the research, and we are interested in work from both the Global South and the Global North. We want to attract research that is bottom-up, grassroots-oriented and that advocates for the participation of community partners in knowledge co-creation related to waste issues, addressing key causes or challenges that affect the community and the environment. CBPR challenges Western empiricist and colonial approaches; this research is done with participants and not on participants. Our thematic focus of CBPR is broad, including participatory waste governance; waste labor; cooperative recycling; waste perceptions and avoidance; innovative waste economies; circular economy; invisibilization, stigmatization and formalization; and discussions of the commons, policy issues or waste regimes. The purpose of this Special Issue is to compile research findings that demonstrate the crucial contributions made by CBPR in addressing the challenges related to waste perceptions and avoidance, waste generation and waste management/governance. The Special Issue will value those contributions most that bring creative and innovative forms of dealing with waste, ultimately building better communities. The articles will be particularly interesting to practitioners, community leaders and academics involved in mixed-methods research on waste. Some research on waste management does not contemplate social and cultural facets of waste and waste management, often thus compromising the success of the application of the research findings and innovations. With this specific issue we want to open an opportunity for interdisciplinary, mixed-methods, social sciences research to fill this gap. Waste issues require multiple lenses, interdisciplinary attention and approaches to addressing those key waste challenges that affect communities and the environment.

Prof. Dr. Jutta Gutberlet
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • participatory waste governance
  • inclusive waste management
  • grassroots recycling
  • cooperative recycling
  • waste pickers
  • informal recycling
  • waste valorization

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 9388 KiB  
Article
A Participatory Research Workshop in Northern India—A Transnational Collaboration
by Shewli Kumar, Catherina Schenck, Dagmar Oberlies and Abha Bhaiya
Sustainability 2023, 15(24), 16808; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152416808 - 13 Dec 2023
Viewed by 811
Abstract
In this article, we outline a transnational project shaped by Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10: “Reduce inequality within and among countries”. SDG 10 provides a cross-cutting approach insofar as the targets refer to income inequality, discriminatory practices and policies, migration policies, and development [...] Read more.
In this article, we outline a transnational project shaped by Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10: “Reduce inequality within and among countries”. SDG 10 provides a cross-cutting approach insofar as the targets refer to income inequality, discriminatory practices and policies, migration policies, and development aid and assist researchers as well as policymakers and community leaders with implementation. The project builds on two online courses for researchers early in their careers: one that covers the research context and one that covers preparing a research question and approach. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is an impactful method of exploring social inequalities and applying research to solve practical problems. For students to learn the basic steps of CBPR, a workshop was conducted with a rural NGO in India that included researchers from three countries, staff members, and community members. The topic, “waste management”, was chosen by the local NGO and integrated with the university program through a CBPR methodology workshop. This article describes the background, learning process, and results of the participatory research workshop and focuses on the collaboration of students, staff, and community members as well as the application of research for action. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Community-Based Participatory Waste Management and Recycling)
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19 pages, 4314 KiB  
Article
Disposable Diaper Usage and Disposal Practices in Samora Machel Township, South Africa
by Catherina J. Schenck, Takunda Y. Chitaka, Hugh Tyrrell and Andrea Couvert
Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9478; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129478 - 13 Jun 2023
Viewed by 3052
Abstract
Single-use disposable diapers have a major impact on climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions from landfills, especially those that are unlined, and particularly when such diapers are not well-managed and dumped in water courses and open spaces or burnt. The aim of [...] Read more.
Single-use disposable diapers have a major impact on climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions from landfills, especially those that are unlined, and particularly when such diapers are not well-managed and dumped in water courses and open spaces or burnt. The aim of this study was to explore the current usage and disposal practices of disposable diaper users in Samora Machel, a township in Cape Town, South Africa. The findings were to be used to inform the design and implementation of a pilot diaper collection model to follow. This urban/peri-urban area comprises lower-income, high-density communities in formal basic housing, with many backyarders and informal shacks. The dumping of diapers in open spaces and sewage systems causes severe problems. Therefore, we employed a theoretical socio-ecological system approach to guide the understanding of these complex environmental issues; the data collection methodology entailed a community-based participatory study process. Four hundred and eight (408) questionnaires consisting of quantitative and qualitative answers were codeveloped with members of the community and completed by trained community-based fieldworkers. A community walkabout and two focus groups provided rich data. The results show that complex waste streams such as disposable diapers and the related environmental issues are testing the limits of current management approaches; managing disposable diapers in underserved low-income communities creates a major burden for these already fragile communities. Single solutions will not suffice for these complex problems, so innovative waste management systems need to be codesigned with communities and relevant stakeholders to ensure sustainability, equality, and social justice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Community-Based Participatory Waste Management and Recycling)
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17 pages, 1446 KiB  
Article
Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Based on Social Recycling: A Case Study with Waste Picker Cooperatives in Brasília, Brazil
by Julia Luz Camargos Mesquita, Jutta Gutberlet, Katiuscia Pereira de Araujo, Vanessa Resende Nogueira Cruvinel and Fabiano Harada Duarte
Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9185; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129185 - 6 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1393
Abstract
Solid waste is a major contributor to climate change due to the release of greenhouse gases (GHGs) during the decomposition of waste. As a consequence, waste should be avoided, and an appropriate destination should be given to all materials that are discarded. While [...] Read more.
Solid waste is a major contributor to climate change due to the release of greenhouse gases (GHGs) during the decomposition of waste. As a consequence, waste should be avoided, and an appropriate destination should be given to all materials that are discarded. While not the only strategy, recycling is a fundamental process in addressing this problem. In 2013, a study carried out with one waste picker cooperative in São Paulo has paved the way to assessing the impact of recycling on GHG emission reduction, by using the methodological tools of the Clean Development Mechanism of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change. The objective of our study is to evaluate the applicability of this methodology to different work environments, measuring greenhouse gas emission reductions and energy saving as a consequence of recycling. Our study involves three waste picker organizations located in the city of Brasília, Brazil. The three cooperatives have made secondary data for 2019 on their material input and output available. The following variables were considered: type and amount of solid waste collected, type of machines used, energy sources and transport routes. The data analysis verified that waste picker organizations significantly contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and energy savings. We conclude that this methodology can be applied successfully to calculate emission reductions and energy savings from material recycling in different recycling contexts. Ultimately, this research recognizes the positive environmental and climate impact of the work of waste pickers, which needs to be recognized and remunerated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Community-Based Participatory Waste Management and Recycling)
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17 pages, 2545 KiB  
Article
Waste Pickers’ Formalisation from Bogotá to Cartagena de Indias: Dispossession and Socio-Economic Enclosures in Two Colombian Cities
by Laura Neville and Luisa Fernanda Tovar Cortés
Sustainability 2023, 15(11), 9047; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15119047 - 3 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1686
Abstract
Colombia is considered a pioneer in inclusive recycling in Latin America and the state-led formalisation policies are considered a referent for the socio-economic inclusion of waste pickers beyond the region. Nevertheless, more than 60,000 waste pickers in Colombia are struggling to remain in [...] Read more.
Colombia is considered a pioneer in inclusive recycling in Latin America and the state-led formalisation policies are considered a referent for the socio-economic inclusion of waste pickers beyond the region. Nevertheless, more than 60,000 waste pickers in Colombia are struggling to remain in place despite these inclusive recycling and formalisation policies. This paper examines the implementation of formalisation policies and their consequences for the population of waste pickers by comparing evidence from two Colombian cities: Bogotá and Cartagena de Indias. The paper draws on extensive qualitative community-based research methodology with waste pickers in both cities guided by an interdisciplinary epistemological position to support Colombian waste pickers’ political struggle for recognition from a theoretical reflection. This paper shows how formalisation policies became a mechanism of manifold dispossessions in both cities. This paper categorises three forms of enclosures faced by waste pickers: (a) material and socio-economic; (b) bodily and spatial; and (c) political and organisational. Finally, this paper concludes by urging to consider the situated social, political, and cultural facets of waste pickers’ labour to enhance grassroots reflections on how to achieve greater levels of social justice and inclusion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Community-Based Participatory Waste Management and Recycling)
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24 pages, 770 KiB  
Article
In My Backyard? Discussing the NIMBY Effect, Social Acceptability, and Residents’ Involvement in Community-Based Solid Waste Management
by Marcelo Alves de Souza, Juliana Teixeira Gonçalves and William Azalim do Valle
Sustainability 2023, 15(9), 7106; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097106 - 24 Apr 2023
Viewed by 2254
Abstract
The present study explored an experience in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in which a community-based solid waste management experience was created by joining a waste pickers’ cooperative; a collective of urban agroecology activists; an alliance of social actors, including a university, [...] Read more.
The present study explored an experience in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in which a community-based solid waste management experience was created by joining a waste pickers’ cooperative; a collective of urban agroecology activists; an alliance of social actors, including a university, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and membership-based organizations (MBOs); and a local community in a collaborative experience of zero waste that integrates waste pickers. More specifically, we focused on the Zero Waste Nucleus, which is an “intentional place” built in the territory that supports this experience and, as a facility, can face the “Not in My Backyard” (NIMBY) effects in the local production. The core of the analysis and discussion was how the process of developing the social acceptability of this space with the neighborhood took place, and how this space contributes to enhancing residents’ involvement in the project. We showed that daily care with negative externalities, the emergence of positive externalities, and the development of immaterial resources within the community, such as trust, are main factors for good social acceptability. Our conclusion presents the operational concept of Place for Assisted Voluntary Delivery (LEVA, in Portuguese) as a synthesis of design elements that can help build places to support community-based waste management systems, and reveals the limits of this study and the opportunities for future research in this field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Community-Based Participatory Waste Management and Recycling)
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25 pages, 2991 KiB  
Article
In, Out or Beyond? Waste Pickers and Policy Networks: A Story from Jardim Gramacho (Rio de Janeiro)
by Antonella Maiello
Sustainability 2022, 14(24), 16977; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416977 - 18 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1864
Abstract
As circularity is momentous, waste-picker communities all around the world are getting noticed. Brazil is at the forefront of waste-picker community inclusion, recognizing, by law, waste-pickers as professionals who must be part of waste management. This level of institutionalization is the result of [...] Read more.
As circularity is momentous, waste-picker communities all around the world are getting noticed. Brazil is at the forefront of waste-picker community inclusion, recognizing, by law, waste-pickers as professionals who must be part of waste management. This level of institutionalization is the result of a political struggle within the national waste policy network over more than twenty years. Understanding these political relations is key to recognising the role of waste-pickers and making the case for justice in the circularity discourse and practices. This research presents the result of an extended case study of over seven years duration conducted by the author on the community of Jardim Gramacho, in the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region. Building upon the policy network theory, this paper first maps the policy community and the issue network of waste governance. Second, through a thematic analysis of 20 semi-structured interviews, core themes are identified. These themes depict the waste-picker community beyond a paternalistic reading recognizing their agency and identifying a plurality of roles waste-pickers are playing in the waste policy community, among them the role of institutional stewards. In the conclusion, a research agenda is outlined, highlighting the need for transdisciplinarity in doing research with waste-pickers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Community-Based Participatory Waste Management and Recycling)
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