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

Author

Listed:
  • Atiq Uz Zaman

    (Zero Waste SA Research Centre for Sustainable Design and Behaviour (sd+b), School of Art, Architecture and Design, University of South Australia (UniSA), GPO Box 2471, SA 5001, Australia)

  • Steffen Lehmann

    (Zero Waste SA Research Centre for Sustainable Design and Behaviour (sd+b), School of Art, Architecture and Design, University of South Australia (UniSA), GPO Box 2471, SA 5001, Australia)

Abstract

The currently consumption-driven society produces an enormous volume of waste every day. Continuous depletion of natural finite resources by urban populations is leading the globe to an uncertain future. Therefore, to prevent further depletion of global resources, sustainable consumption and a strategic waste management system would be required. It is evident that a significant number of global non-renewable resources such as cadmium, mercury and tellurium will experience permanent shortfall in global supply within the next two to three decades. Astonishingly, the current recycling rate of these very scarce metals is significantly low in all cities around the globe. The concept of the zero waste city includes a 100% recycling of municipal solid waste and a 100% recovery of all resources from waste materials. However, transforming currently over-consuming cities into zero waste cities is challenging. Therefore, this study aims to understand the key factors waste management systems in cities such as consumption, resource depletion and possible decoupling opportunity through implementing the “zero waste city” concept. The study proposes five significant principles for transforming current cities into zero waste cities in the context of long-term sustainability. A simultaneous and harmonized application of sustainable behaviour and consumption, product stewardship, a 100% recycling and recovery of resources, legislated zero landfill and incineration are required to transform current city into a zero waste city.

Suggested Citation

  • Atiq Uz Zaman & Steffen Lehmann, 2011. "Challenges and Opportunities in Transforming a City into a “Zero Waste City”," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 2(4), pages 1-21, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jchals:v:2:y:2011:i:4:p:73-93:d:14626
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mont, Oksana, 2004. "Institutionalisation of sustainable consumption patterns based on shared use," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1-2), pages 135-153, September.
    2. Matthew Leach & Ausilio Bauen & Nigel Lucas, 1997. "A Systems Approach to Materials Flow in Sustainable Cities: A Case Study of Paper," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(6), pages 705-724.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Marija Opačak & Erda Wang, 2019. "Estimating Willingness to Pay for a Future Recreational Park Atop the Current Jakuševec Landfill in Zagreb, Croatia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-16, October.
    2. Tina Ringenson & Mattias Höjer & Anna Kramers & Anna Viggedal, 2018. "Digitalization and Environmental Aims in Municipalities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-16, April.
    3. Moipone Rakolojane, 2014. "Waste Reclaiming in Ekurhuleni : a case study of Holomisa and Villa Lisa informal settlements in South Africa," Proceedings of International Academic Conferences 0800622, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences.
    4. Nachalida Yukalang & Beverley Clarke & Kirstin Ross, 2017. "Barriers to Effective Municipal Solid Waste Management in a Rapidly Urbanizing Area in Thailand," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-23, September.
    5. Vivianni Palmeira Wanderley & Fernando Luiz Affonso Fonseca & André Vala Quiaios & José Nuno Domingues & Susana Paixão & João Figueiredo & Ana Ferreira & Cleonice De Almeida Pinto & Odair Ramos Da Sil, 2017. "Socio-Environmental and Hematological Profile of Landfill Residents (São Jorge Landfill–Sao Paulo, Brazil)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, January.
    6. Xinpei Qiao & Hyukku Lee & Qi Shen & Yuchao Li, 2023. "Research on the Tripartite Evolutionary Game of Zero-Waste City Construction in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-19, July.
    7. Joanna Williams, 2019. "Circular cities," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 56(13), pages 2746-2762, October.

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