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Social Life-Cycle Assessment of Household Waste Management System in Kabul City

Author

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  • Ahmad Nadim Azimi

    (Department of Environmental Engineering, Ritsumeikan University 1–1–1 Nojihigashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577, Japan)

  • Sébastien M. R. Dente

    (Department of Environmental Engineering, Ritsumeikan University 1–1–1 Nojihigashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577, Japan)

  • Seiji Hashimoto

    (Department of Environmental Engineering, Ritsumeikan University 1–1–1 Nojihigashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577, Japan)

Abstract

The present study constitutes the first social life cycle assessment (SLCA) study in Afghanistan and aims at assessing the social performance of the waste management system (WMS) of Kabul city. The system boundary considered includes households generating the waste, the sanitation department of Kabul city, scavengers, recycling shops, the recycling factory, and the local community living in its vicinity. Compared to previous SLCA studies that consider one stakeholder per organization, we distinguished between the manager and the worker level for each organization. In total, eight stakeholders, 90 inventory indicators, and 20 impact subcategories were investigated. Results show three main social issues: the overwork of scavengers, recycling shop owners and recycling factories’ workers and managers, the absence of communication and implication of the local community, and the poor cleanliness of the surroundings of the recycling factory and collection points. At the sanitation department, managers were found facing more psychological stress and overwork than workers, demonstrating the current isolation of the department inside Kabul’s local government. It seems nonetheless possible to improve Kabul’s WMS by redesigning the location of garbage bins and conducting communication campaigns towards consumers and the local community. That would help to minimize the nuisances associated with the handling of waste and to integrate better waste management activities into the socio-economy of Kabul city.

Suggested Citation

  • Ahmad Nadim Azimi & Sébastien M. R. Dente & Seiji Hashimoto, 2020. "Social Life-Cycle Assessment of Household Waste Management System in Kabul City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-26, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:8:p:3217-:d:346214
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Michael Kühnen & Rüdiger Hahn, 2017. "Indicators in Social Life Cycle Assessment: A Review of Frameworks, Theories, and Empirical Experience," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(6), pages 1547-1565, December.
    2. Jing Ma & Zhanbin Luo & Fu Chen & Qianlin Zhu & Shaoliang Zhang & Gang-Jun Liu, 2018. "A Practical Approach to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Open Dumps through Infrastructure Restructuring: A Case Study in Nanjing City, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-13, August.
    3. Ruqun Wu & Dan Yang & Jiquan Chen, 2014. "Social Life Cycle Assessment Revisited," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(7), pages 1-27, July.
    4. Göran Finnveden & Tomas Ekvall & Yevgeniya Arushanyan & Mattias Bisaillon & Greger Henriksson & Ulrika Gunnarsson Östling & Maria Ljunggren Söderman & Jenny Sahlin & Åsa Stenmarck & Johan Sundberg & J, 2013. "Policy Instruments towards a Sustainable Waste Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(3), pages 1-41, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Somayeh Rezaei Kalvani & Amir Hamzah Sharaai & Ibrahim Kabir Abdullahi, 2021. "Social Consideration in Product Life Cycle for Product Social Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-22, October.
    2. Ahmad Nadim Azimi & Sébastien M. R. Dente & Seiji Hashimoto, 2020. "Analyzing Waste Management System Alternatives for Kabul City, Afghanistan: Considering Social, Environmental, and Economic Aspects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-15, November.
    3. Oluwaseun Nubi & Stephen Morse & Richard J. Murphy, 2021. "A Prospective Social Life Cycle Assessment (sLCA) of Electricity Generation from Municipal Solid Waste in Nigeria," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-24, September.
    4. Jianing Wei & Jixiao Cui & Yinan Xu & Jinna Li & Xinyu Lei & Wangsheng Gao & Yuanquan Chen, 2022. "Social Life Cycle Assessment of Major Staple Grain Crops in China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-22, April.

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