IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i12p6533-d570990.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sustainability of Recycling Waste Picker Sustainopreneurs for Prevention and Mitigation of Municipal Solid Waste in Swat

Author

Listed:
  • Muhammad Nawaz

    (School of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15 North 3rd Ring Rd. E., Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China)

  • Muhammad Tariq Yousafzai

    (Centre for Management and Commerce (CMC), University of Swat, Mingora 19130, Pakistan)

  • Tariq Shah

    (Department of Economics and Development Studies, University of Swat, Mingora 19130, Pakistan)

  • Chunlin Xin

    (School of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15 North 3rd Ring Rd. E., Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China)

  • Wisal Ahmad

    (Institute of Business Studies, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 26000, Pakistan)

Abstract

This study assessed the role of waste picker sustainopreneurs (WPS) by examining their recycling contributions in a special case of District Swat, Pakistan. Using a transformative worldview, this study acknowledges their contributions to recycling. The study envisages how entrepreneurial agency works in unanticipated ways where the poorest of the poor enterprise without resources demonstrate unexpected agency to improve the environment. An inductive research design in conjunction with grounded theory was used to analyze data from 37 interviews in three tehsils of District Swat. The recycling sector uses primitive measures, which are completely informal, self-organized, and self-controlled. Surprisingly, we discovered that informal recycling contributes unfavorably to waste, energy, and food (WEF) security due to intermixing and adulteration, as well as acts as a gray channel for illicit practices that have taken advantage of tax amnesty in the area until 2023. The uncontrolled welding of half cut and nose cut car parts has skyrocketed the motorization index and CO 2 emissions; however, it has also resulted in alternative sources of livelihoods, as these accidental environmentalists had found modern sources of income. This is similar to low-tech innovation and business creation that takes advantage of tax holidays due to the special status of District Swat. The study highlights the most and least valuable recyclables and identifies the gray channel markets of spare parts, metal recycling, counterfeit products, fuel intermixing, and adulteration. The study contributes by untangling the understanding of a legal gambit of tax amnesty as a critical pre-policy input as well as advocates for rights of invisible stakeholders of waste management in Pakistan.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Nawaz & Muhammad Tariq Yousafzai & Tariq Shah & Chunlin Xin & Wisal Ahmad, 2021. "Sustainability of Recycling Waste Picker Sustainopreneurs for Prevention and Mitigation of Municipal Solid Waste in Swat," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-13, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:12:p:6533-:d:570990
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/12/6533/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/12/6533/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xingwei Li & Jianguo Du & Hongyu Long, 2019. "Green Development Behavior and Performance of Industrial Enterprises Based on Grounded Theory Study: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-19, July.
    2. Carlos Martin-Rios & Anastasia Hofmann & Naomi Mackenzie, 2020. "Sustainability-Oriented Innovations in Food Waste Management Technology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Iris Alkaher & Nurit Carmi, 2019. "Is Population Growth an Environmental Problem? Teachers’ Perceptions and Attitudes towards Including It in Their Teaching," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-24, April.
    4. Aries Purwanto & Janez Sušnik & Franciscus X. Suryadi & Charlotte de Fraiture, 2021. "Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Critical Review, Practical Applications, and Prospects for Future Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-17, February.
    5. Marcela Taušová & Eva Mihaliková & Katarína Čulková & Beáta Stehlíková & Peter Tauš & Dušan Kudelas & Ľubomír Štrba, 2019. "Recycling of Communal Waste: Current State and Future Potential for Sustainable Development in the EU," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-16, May.
    6. Pedro-José Martínez-Córdoba & Víctor Amor-Esteban & Bernardino Benito & Isabel-María García-Sánchez, 2021. "The Commitment of Spanish Local Governments to Sustainable Development Goal 11 from a Multivariate Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-15, January.
    7. Million Gebreyes & Davide Bazzana & Anna Simonetto & Detlef Müller-Mahn & Benjamin Zaitchik & Gianni Gilioli & Belay Simane, 2020. "Local Perceptions of Water-Energy-Food Security: Livelihood Consequences of Dam Construction in Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-19, March.
    8. Luis Miguel Fonseca & José Pedro Domingues & Alina Mihaela Dima, 2020. "Mapping the Sustainable Development Goals Relationships," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-15, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Muhammad Nawaz & Muhammad Tariq Yousafzai & Salim Khan & Wisal Ahmad & Muhammad Salman & Heesup Han & Antonio Ariza-Montes & Alejandro Vega-Muñoz, 2021. "Assessing the Formal and Informal Waste Recycling Business Processes through a Stakeholders Lens in Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-16, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Waleed Rashad & Zlatko Nedelko, 2020. "Global Sourcing Strategies: A Framework for Lean, Agile, and Leagile," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-29, September.
    2. Mariela González-Narváez & María José Fernández-Gómez & Susana Mendes & José-Luis Molina & Omar Ruiz-Barzola & Purificación Galindo-Villardón, 2021. "Study of Temporal Variations in Species–Environment Association through an Innovative Multivariate Method: MixSTATICO," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-25, May.
    3. Jana S. Kesenheimer & Tobias Greitemeyer, 2021. "Going Green (and Not Being Just More Pro-Social): Do Attitude and Personality Specifically Influence Pro-Environmental Behavior?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-12, March.
    4. Dinko Vusić & Filip Vujanić & Karlo Pešić & Branimir Šafran & Vanja Jurišić & Željko Zečić, 2021. "Variability of Normative Properties of Wood Chips and Implications to Quality Control," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-16, June.
    5. Xu, Deyi & Sheraz, Muhammad & Hassan, Arshad & Sinha, Avik & Ullah, Saif, 2022. "Financial development, renewable energy and CO2 emission in G7 countries: New evidence from non-linear and asymmetric analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    6. Wirapong Chansanam & Chunqiu Li, 2022. "Scientometrics of Poverty Research for Sustainability Development: Trend Analysis of the 1964–2022 Data through Scopus," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-19, April.
    7. Gonzalo Wandosell & María C. Parra-Meroño & Alfredo Alcayde & Raúl Baños, 2021. "Green Packaging from Consumer and Business Perspectives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-19, January.
    8. Linda Hancock & Linda Wollersheim, 2021. "EU Carbon Diplomacy: Assessing Hydrogen Security and Policy Impact in Australia and Germany," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-27, December.
    9. Pina Puntillo & Carmela Gulluscio & Donald Huisingh & Stefania Veltri, 2021. "Reevaluating waste as a resource under a circular economy approach from a system perspective: Findings from a case study," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 968-984, February.
    10. Surajit Bag & Muhammad Sabbir Rahman, 2024. "Navigating circular economy: Unleashing the potential of political and supply chain analytics skills among top supply chain executives for environmental orientation, regenerative supply chain practice," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 504-528, February.
    11. Luis Fonseca & Vitor Silva & José Carlos Sá & Vanda Lima & Gilberto Santos & Rui Silva, 2022. "B Corp versus ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications: Aligned, or alternative paths, towards sustainable development?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(3), pages 496-508, May.
    12. Lingyan Meng & Md Qamruzzaman & Anass Hamad Elneel Adow, 2021. "Technological Adaption and Open Innovation in SMEs: An Strategic Assessment for Women-Owned SMEs Sustainability in Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-22, March.
    13. Halkos, George & Argyropoulou, Georgia, 2022. "Using environmental indicators in performance evaluation of sustainable development health goals," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    14. Joel O. Botai & Christina M. Botai & Katlego P. Ncongwane & Sylvester Mpandeli & Luxon Nhamo & Muthoni Masinde & Abiodun M. Adeola & Michael G. Mengistu & Henerica Tazvinga & Miriam D. Murambadoro & S, 2021. "A Review of the Water–Energy–Food Nexus Research in Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-26, February.
    15. Deng, Ying & Cao, Zhitao & Yang, Na, 2024. "Understanding the nexus between fintech, natural resources, green investment, and environmental sustainability in China: A DYNARDL approach," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    16. Chenyu Lu & Yang Zhang & Hengji Li & Zilong Zhang & Wei Cheng & Shulei Jin & Wei Liu, 2020. "An Integrated Measurement of the Efficiency of China’s Industrial Circular Economy and Associated Influencing Factors," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-21, September.
    17. Luis Fonseca & Filipe Carvalho & Gilberto Santos, 2023. "Strategic CSR: Framework for Sustainability through Management Systems Standards—Implementing and Disclosing Sustainable Development Goals and Results," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-24, August.
    18. Ramos, Maria Priscila & Custodio, Estefania & Jiménez, Sofía & Sartori, Martina & Ferrari, Emanuele, 2022. "Enhancing labour productivity by improving nutrition in Kenya: micro-econometric estimates for dynamic CGE model calibration," Conference papers 333426, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    19. Yongliang Deng & Jinyun Li & Qiuting Wu & Shuangshuang Pei & Na Xu & Guodong Ni, 2020. "Using Network Theory to Explore BIM Application Barriers for BIM Sustainable Development in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-22, April.
    20. Tancredi Pascucci & Giuseppina Maria Cardella & Brizeida Hernàndez-Sànchez & Jose Carlos Sànchez-Garcìa, 2022. "Environmental Sensitivity to Form a Sustainable Entrepreneurial Intention," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-17, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:12:p:6533-:d:570990. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.